Mixing pitches, Sabathia in sustained groove

NEW YORK — In the literal sense, this was a loss for CC Sabathia and the Yankees, though the big left-hander could be excused if he had difficulty feigning disappointment with seven innings of two-hit ball and no earned runs against the Blue Jays’ stacked lineup.

Though Sabathia had to accept the “L” in New York’s 3-1 defeat on Thursday at Yankee Stadium, the club looked at it more as a missed opportunity, as it represented another positive step for Sabathia’s ongoing reinvention. Sabathia’s last three starts serve as strong evidence that he has learned how to mix his pitches in winning fashion against big league hitters.

“He’s learning what he can and can’t do now with lesser velocity,” catcher Brian McCann said. “When you have a mindset like he’s got, he’s going to succeed no matter what he’s doing. That’s why he’s one of the best pitchers of this generation. His career has been amazing.”

Both of Toronto’s runs off Sabathia were unearned, because Didi Gregorius couldn’t corral a bad-hop grounder from Devon Travis in the third inning. After pitching around Josh Donaldson, Sabathia …

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