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04/17/24 06:31:00
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04/17 18:29 CDT Judge hits the tiebreaking single in 9th as Yankees rally to
avoid sweep with 6-4 win over Blue Jays
Judge hits the tiebreaking single in 9th as Yankees rally to avoid sweep with
6-4 win over Blue Jays
By IAN HARRISON
Associated Press
TORONTO (AP) --- Aaron Judge broke a 4-all tie with a two-run single in the
ninth inning, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton hit solo home runs and the New
York Yankees rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 on Wednesday, avoiding
their first sweep of the season.
Daulton Varsho hit two home runs for the Blue Jays, but Toronto's four-game
winning streak was snapped.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was ejected by plate umpire Ryan Wills for
arguing in the bottom of the ninth.
Victor Gonzlez (1-0) got one out for the win and Clay Holmes finished for his
seventh save in eight chances.
Judge was 0 for 12 against Toronto in the series before coming through on a
full-count pitch from left-hander Tim Mayza with two outs and the bases loaded.
"Guys in front of me were having great at-bats to kind of lead to that moment
and get us in that situation," Judge said. "Once you step in there, just have
some fun and take a good swing."
Judge's hit meant New York finished 3-3 on a trip to Cleveland and Toronto.
"Big at-bat for him, big at-bat for us," Yankees manager Aaron Boone. "Kind of
salvaged the road trip a little bit there."
Soto had three hits, his third three-hit game of the season. He drove in two
and reached base five times.
"What another dominant performance by Juan," Boone said.
After the game, Schneider said Blue Jays reliever Chad Green was not available
because of a sore shoulder.
Toronto finished 6-3 on its first homestand of the season.
"You have a sweep right there against a really good team and didn't get it
done," Schneider said. "It was still a really good homestand."
The Yankees trailed 4-1 through seven innings, but Soto homered off Gnesis
Cabrera in the eighth and Stanton connected off Erik Swanson (0-1) to begin the
ninth.
"He damn near hit it out of the stadium," Judge said of Stanton's 437-foot
blast. "I think that's what got everybody going."
Swanson was activated from the injured list Tuesday after being sidelined
because of a sore forearm. He retired one of the four batters he faced.
Pinch hitter Jose Trevino greeted Mayza with a tying single over the drawn-in
infield. Anthony Volpe fouled out and Soto walked before Judge broke the
deadlock with a single down the third-base line.
"At the end of the day, he got the hit in the right moment and the right spot,"
Soto said of Judge. "That's what we've been looking for, to see those hits that
he gets to help the team to win the game."
Varsho hit a two-run homer off Marcus Stroman in the second and added a solo
blast off Caleb Ferguson in the seventh. The homers were his third and fourth
of the season.
It was Varsho's first multihomer game this season and second of his career. He
also did it with Arizona at San Diego on Sept. 7, 2022.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman finished five innings for the first time in
four starts this season after missing most of spring training because of a sore
shoulder. He allowed one run and four hits, walked three and matched a season
high by striking out six.
Gausman lowered his ERA from 11.57 to 8.16.
Yankees starter Stroman allowed two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings against
his former team. He walked two and struck out two.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: Boone said RHP Gerrit Cole (elbow inflammation) was scheduled to throw
for a second straight day Wednesday. It was Cole's first time throwing on
back-to-back days. ... RHP Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) threw a bullpen at New
York's spring training facility in Tampa on Tuesday, Boone said.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (1-0, 3.68 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday when
New York hosts Tampa Bay. The Rays had not announced a starter.
Blue Jays: RHP Yariel Rodrguez (0-0, 2.45 ERA) makes his second career start
when Toronto visits San Diego on Friday night. RHP Matt Waldron (0-1, 3.14) is
scheduled for the Padres.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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