NEW YORK -- Giancarlo Stanton brought the figurative thunder at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. Then actual rain followed.
Minutes before the Yankees' series opener with the Blue Jays was delayed with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning due to an inclement weather system passing through the Bronx, Stanton turned heads with his 31st homer, a solo shot to right-center off Jays reliever Luis Santos that extended the Yanks' lead to 7-5 on a night they began fighting from behind.
Coming off a series loss to the Rays and suddenly taking some water atop the American League Wild Card race, the Yankees did not put themselves in a position to succeed early on Friday night.