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Blue Jays' success over Yankees not seen since World Series years

Israel Fehr

The Blue Jays’ latest accomplishment isn’t worthy of a parade, but they’re on a streak that harkens back to the time the franchise won back-to-back World Series.

A 4-1 win on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre means Toronto has won five straight series against the New York Yankees – the first three series of this season and two series last September – and have won 12 of the last 16 head-to-head games. Kevin Pillar drove in the winning run in the seventh inning off with a single off Dellin Betances in this latest triumph after Justin Smoak had tied the game with a solo shot in the fourth. J.A. Happ pitched six innings allowing one run for as he recorded his 10th quality start in 11 outings.

It’s the Blue Jays’ best run over the Yankees since a six series stretch that started in 1992 and went until the middle of the 1993 season. Those seasons, of course, both ended with the team winning the championship.

Before this current squad can chase their own World Series trophy, they have three more series with New York to do damage and ensure a postseason return. Unlike last year, though, where Toronto’s 13-6 record against New York was very much the difference in the race for the division title, their dominance over their rivals likely won’t have the same impact on the playoffs this time around.

The Yankees have taken a step back and their own middling start leaves the Blue Jays looking up at the division-leading Red Sox and the second-place Orioles in the American League East.

The current state of the standings vaults the upcoming three-game series in Boston over the weekend and a four-game set with Baltimore at home a week later to the top of the importance list.

But beating the Yankees is always fun, regardless of stakes, and the Blue Jays have been able to do that a lot lately.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports. Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr