NEW YORK _ J.A. Happ has settled into a steady July groove.
The Yankees left-hander pitched effectively into the sixth inning of both his starts this month, despite exiting with his team trailing each time.
Whereas New York rallied to win Happ's July 4 outing against Tampa Bay, it was unable to do the same against Toronto Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
Randal Grichuk's two-run blooper in the sixth propelled the Blue Jays to a 2-1 victory. Aaron Judge's RBI single in the ninth was the Yanks' lone offensive highlight, as it extended their string of 172 consecutive games without being shut out _ the fifth-longest streak in MLB history.
Happ allowed only three hits through the first five innings and struck out five, bringing his July total to 10 in 10 2/3 innings. His earned-run average in that span is 2.53.
Compare that to June, when he recorded 11 strikeouts in 21 innings and a three-homer nightmare outing against the Astros inflated his ERA for the month to 6.43.
The lone extra-base hit he allowed against his former team was a two-out double to Eric Sogard in the third. Much of the Jays' damage was inflicted by bloop hits.
Cavan Biggio lofted a single to shallow left between Brett Gardner and shortstop Didi Gregorius, giving Toronto two on with one out in the fifth.
That was enough to chase Happ after 89 pitches, and two batters later, Grichuk found the Bermuda triangle between Gleyber Torres, Luke Voit and Aaron Judge.
Voit returned from the 10-day IL without having to make a minor league rehab appearance, since he "wasn't long enough down" in manager Aaron Boone's eyes to warrant it. The first baseman missed only eight games due to the All-Star break and a day off after the return trip from London.
Judge singled off three different Toronto pitchers in his first three at-bats, then was called out on strikes by home plate ump Andy Fletcher to end the seventh. That got the loudest negative reaction from a fan base less than 24 hours removed from watching a similar circumstance unfold with Aaron Hicks and ump Joe West.
The Yankees stranded 11 baserunners and managed five hits in seven innings against the Toronto bullpen, which took over after starter Clayton Richard left with tightness in his left lat.
