Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman looks to rebound in finale vs. Yankees

The visiting New York Yankees will look to avoid being swept by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon when they play the finale of their three-game series.

In dropping the first two games, the Yankees have lost their first series of the season. They opened with five consecutive series wins, including winning two of three from the Blue Jays in New York on April 5-7.

The Blue Jays extended their winning streak to four games Tuesday night when they held on for a 5-4 victory over the Yankees, who have lost three consecutive contests for the first time this season.

Toronto is scheduled to start struggling Kevin Gausman (0-2, 11.57 ERA) on Wednesday against fellow right-hander and former Blue Jay Marcus Stroman (1-1, 2.12). Stroman is 0-0 with an 0.82 ERA in two career starts vs. Toronto.

This will be the second time Stroman has pitched in Toronto since he was traded to the New York Mets during the 2019 season. He held the Blue Jays to one run over five innings with the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 30, 2022.

His other start against the Blue Jays was April 5 when he pitched six scoreless innings in New York. The Blue Jays won 3-0 to spoil the Yankees' home opener.

Stroman allowed four runs, four hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in five innings in a loss to the Miami Marlins last Wednesday.

"I was just losing the zone," he said. "It's very uncharacteristic of me to walk four guys. That's not me at all."

Gausman is 10-8 with a 3.27 ERA in 32 career outings (26 starts) against the Yankees.

He allowed six runs (five earned) over 1 1/3 innings in a 9-8 loss in New York on April 6. He followed that last Friday by permitting six runs on 10 hits over 3 2/3 frames to the Colorado Rockies in a 12-4 loss.

With left-hander Yusei Kikuchi striking out nine in six innings on Tuesday, the Blue Jays led 5-1 before the Yankees scored two in the seventh and one in the ninth.

"In the end, we got outplayed tonight," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "They played a heck of a game in a lot of ways. Made a couple huge, big plays defensively in the outfield. Kikuchi was really good. And they had those kind of tough at-bats that weren't always ending in walks but made us work really hard and kind of outlasted us there."

Kikuchi said through an interpreter that he feels very comfortable on the mound.

"This is my sixth year in MLB, but I think this is the most confident I've felt," Kikuchi said. "It's not just my performance, but in all of my pitches right now."

"He's pretty locked in. I feel like I say this every time with him, but confidence is a big thing," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "You trust him, man. He's being much more efficient with his pitch count. He's got great (stuff). His stuff is electric. He's just in a really good spot."

Jordan Romano made his first appearance of the season for Toronto and picked up the save despite allowing a run.

Toronto activated right-handers Romano (right elbow inflammation) and Erik Swanson (right forearm inflammation) from the injured list Tuesday. Right-hander Nate Pearson was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, and right-hander Mitch White was designated for assignment.