BUFFALO, N.Y. _ Only too happy to leave Western New York, the Yankees bolted for home Thursday night, having assisted the Blue Jays' longshot postseason dreams.
But it promises to be a short stay in the Bronx.
Toronto officially entered the eight-team AL tournament with a 4-1 win at empty Sahlen Field, the Blue Jays' temporary home during this COVID-19 season.
Having dropped four of their last five games after a 10-game winning streak, the Yankees are searching to put it all together again as they enter postseason.
Usually, they can depend on a homestand to right the ship; they own a 21-7 mark this year at silent Yankee Stadium.
But they were an abysmal 11-18 on the road this season, and now the Yanks are headed toward playing a dangerous best-of-three opening round series entirely on the road.
If they survive that series, probably either at Chicago or Minnesota, the remaining postseason will be played at neutral sites.
"In a lot of ways, we're built for our ballpark," said Aaron Boone, though the "unique, sort of small sample size" does not tell a complete story in the manager's view.
Yet, for a team that relies on the long ball, the Yankees have hit 64 home runs in 28 games at the Stadium this year, as opposed to 27 homers in their 29 games on the road.
In losing three of four to the Blue Jays (30-27) this week, the Yanks (32-25) did not hit a home run in 36 innings.
Gary Sanchez gave the Yankees a few seconds of hope in Thursday's eighth inning.
Pinch-hitting for Kyle Higashioka, and batting with the bases loaded, Sanchez put a charge into reliever Rafael Dolis' two-out delivery.
But center fielder Randal Grichuk made a leaping catch at the top of the wall, keeping Toronto's 4-1 lead intact.
Toronto lefty starter Hyun Jin Ryu was splendid, delivering seven shutout innings and limiting the Yankees to five hits.
Gio Urshela's RBI single off reliever Anthony Bass accounted for the Yanks' lone run in the eighth.
Kyle Higashioka got the start behind the plate Thursday, catching Jordan Montgomery.
Already linked to ace Gerrit Cole's starts, how much more playing time might Higashioka expect to get during an extended postseason?
"Obviously performance matters and matchups matters and pairing guys matters," Boone said. "I think both will probably play an important role for us if we're to go deep in this playoff."
In a season where Sanchez has struggled mightily at the plate, "it's hard to predict," Boone said of the use of both catchers. "There's nothing committed to right now, but I expect guys both having a role."
In his tune-up before postseason, lefty starter Jordan Montgomery was better than average over 5 1/3 innings.
Montgomery struck out eight batters, walked none, and one of the three runs charged against him was an inherited runner he left for Adam Ottavino.
The right-handed Ottavino's postseason trustworthiness is again in question.
Ottavino gave up three hits and one earned run in two-thirds of an inning, the damage coming on Alejandro Kirk's sharp two-run double.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his assault on the Yanks with a solo homer off Montgomery in the second inning, and his third hit of the game _ a single _ greeted Ottavino in the sixth.
Montgomery surrendered back-to-back two-out doubles to Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette in the third inning.
In the opening postseason round, Montgomery could have a role as a multi-inning reliever, but Boone expects the lefty to be part of his rotation should they advance.
Closer Aroldis Chapman, who hadn't pitched since Friday at Boston, worked a perfect eighth inning, with two strikeouts.
Aaron Judge was rested from the starting lineup, but entered as a pinch-hitter and went 0 for 2.
Boone expects Judge to start the Yankees' final three regular-season games as they play Derek Jeter's Miami Marlins, trying to secure an NL postseason spot.
