8
NEW YORK — After getting the surprise call-up to the Toronto Blue Jays from Triple-A Syracuse just the night before, Travis Snider spent time wandering the streets of New York City yesterday morning trying to find a barber shop.
One look at the 20-year-old's unruly mop of brown hair and you can understand why a trip to the hairdresser was necessary in order to make a better impression on his new employer.
After failing to locate a suitable salon, Snider arrived at Yankee Stadium and was delighted to see his name in the starting lineup posted in the Toronto clubhouse as the Blue Jays starting left fielder against the New York Yankees.
Trouble was, his last name was misspelled as Snyder.
Yankees starter Carl Pavano delivers against the Blue Jays Friday night at Yankee Stadium. New York won 2-1. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Related Articles
Internet Links
Related Information
No matter, unkempt and perhaps a little unknown, nothing was going to spoil this moment. Snider, Toronto's No. 1 draft choice in 2006, experienced both the highs and lows in his major-league debut in which the Yankees, 72-62, scored a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays, 68-66, before a sellout crowd of 53,088.
It was the first of a three-game series and the Blue Jays playoff hopes pretty much vanished with their third consecutive loss.
"We've scored three runs in three ball games," said Toronto manager Cito Gaston, whose team had five hits. "So the offence has really stalled on this road trip. Guys have pitched great but we just can't get them any run support."
The loss was absorbed by A.J. Burnett, who was denied his second consecutive attempt to reach 17 wins despite throwing his first complete game of the season. He allowed seven hits. The Yankee runs were scored in the fourth inning off two hits.
Snider, who doubled in the sixth and scored, could have fashioned a nice storybook ending to his debut, stepping to the plate with two on and none out in the eighth.
But the stocky left-handed hitter went down looking at third strike.
Joe Inglett hit into a fielder's choice before New York closer Mariano Rivera came on to strike out Marco Scutaro with Toronto runners at first and third.
Snider filled the roster spot of Matt Stairs, the Canadian designated hitter who was designated for assignment after Thursday's game in Tampa Bay against the Rays.
The Blue Jays have yet to officially confirm it, but Stairs is going to the Philadelphia Phillies for left-handed minor-league pitcher Fabio Castro.
The Jays are coming off a disappointing week, dropping two of three to the Boston Red Sox in Toronto before doing the same against the Rays to begin this trip.
The Blue Jays are in fourth place in the wild-card standing, 10 games behind the Red Sox with 28 games to play.
The Yankees remain third place, six lengths back.
General manager J.P. Ricciardi's decision to promote Snider was made easier with the knowledge that he was hitting .344 with two home runs and 17 runs batted in from 18 Triple-A games.
Still, making your major-league debut in boisterous Yankee Stadium having to patrol the generous expanses in left field — especially when your normal position is right field — is a difficult way to break in.
"Someone can throw a battery at him or swear at him — get him used to being in the big leagues," Ricciardi joked.
Snider certainly appeared locked in — especially after making a nice catch in foul territory down the left-field line with his back bent over the wall in the fourth.
The sacrifice fly was struck by Jason Giambi and it scored Bobby Abreu to make the score 2-0.
Snider had his first big-league hit in the sixth, a line drive that bounced over the wall in centre field for a ground-rule double.
"Obviously to start off you career with a ground-rule double is pretty special at Yankee Stadium," Snider said.
Snider scored on a single by Scutaro.
