The New York Yankees took the first game of their doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, winning 4-2 in Yankee Stadium.
Andy Pettitte made his return to the rotation after fracturing his ankle on a line drive back on June 27. The 40-year-old was stellar, only allowing four hits and two walks in five shutout innings while striking out three. Pettitte was on a strict pitch-count, only throwing 75 pitches in the contest.
Pettitte's team gave him all the run support he would need in the first inning off of Anderson Alvarez, scoring a trio of runs. The big blow in the frame was a two-run double of the bat of Robinson Cano, followed by an Alex Rodriguez RBI groundout and Curtis Granderson sacrifice fly.
Toronto made it close in the eighth inning with a pair of runs off of David Robertson. However, Rafael Soriano came in and shut the door with runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs.
New York would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Nick Swisher single to make the final score 4-2.
With the win, the Yankees move a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles who play at 10:10 p.m. ET against the Seattle Mariners. The Tampa Bay Rays are now 6.5 games back, well off the pace in the AL East.
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