NEW YORK – Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays sent the New York Yankees a message: They're more than just a potent offense.
Bautista homered with one out in the 10th inning after two of the top slugging teams in the major leagues engaged in a tense pitchers' duel, lifting the surging Blue Jays over the Yankees 2-1 on Friday night, their sixth straight win.
"We won the first game of the series. Everyone knows what our offense is capable of. We've got David Price going [Saturday]," Bautista said. "I don't think they feel good right now, going home."
Bautista connected off Branden Pinder to pull the new-look Blue Jays within 3 ½ games of the AL East-leading Yankees.
"The home run is not really what I'm too concerned about," Bautista said. "Making a statement, that's the most important part."
The first of 13 games left between the division rivals started as most expected it would, with a slugfest. Josh Donaldson hit his 30th homer for Toronto in the first inning and Mark Teixeira connected for his 30th an inning later — after a replay reversal — giving the Yankees a homer in 13 straight games.
But R.A. Dickey and Nathan Eovaldi settled in and set down these powerful lineups with two very different styles. Dickey was the second soft-tossing knuckleballer the Yankees faced in three games. Eovaldi has one of the highest fastball averages for starters in the majors. Eovaldi was dominant through six innings, Dickey for seven.
Brett Cecil gave up a single in the ninth for the win. Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect 10th for his ninth save.
