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09/26 20:44 CDT Austin Wells hits 2-run home run in 9th, Yankees beat Blue Jays 2-0 Austin Wells hits 2-run home run in 9th, Yankees beat Blue Jays 2-0 By IAN HARRISON Associated Press TORONTO (AP) --- Austin Wells hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Tuesday night. Michael King and two relievers combined on a three-hitter as the Yankees improved to a major league-best 18-9 since Aug. 28. Facing Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (5-7), Gleyber Torres singled to begin the ninth. Wells followed with a first-pitch drive into the left-field bullpen, his third home run. Romano, who blew his first save opportunity since May 20 on Saturday at Tampa Bay, took the loss for a second straight outing. Jhony Brito (9-7) pitched two innings for the victory and Clay Holmes finished for his 23rd save in 26 chances. Toronto came in 1 1/2 games ahead of Houston in the AL wild-card standings, but the Blue Jays couldn't improve their postseason chances. The shutout was New York's seventh. Toronto was held scoreless for the 10th time. Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave slugger Aaron Judge and shortstop Anthony Volpe the day off in the opener of the three-game series. Toronto loaded the bases with two out in the third. King fell behind 3-0 against Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but came back with three straight strikes to escape the jam unscathed, catching Guerrero looking to end the inning. Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman allowed three hits in seven shutout innings. He walked two and struck out five, raising his AL-leading total to 237. Gausman didn't allow a hit until outfielder Estevan Florial singled to begin the sixth. DJ LeMahieu followed by grounding into a double play. Giancarlo Stanton hit a one-out double in the sixth and advanced to third on Isiah Kiner-Falefa's single. Oswaldo Cabrera followed with a grounder to short, but Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette threw Stanton out at home plate. Oswald Peraza flied out to end the inning. King allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings. He struck out five and walked five, one more than he'd walked over seven previous starts combined. King also walked five in an Aug. 8, 2020, outing against Tampa Bay. TRAINER'S ROOM Yankees: Boone said Judge is not expected to need offseason surgery on the toe injury that caused him to miss 42 games this season. Blue Jays: Toronto activated DH Brandon Belt (back spasms) off the 10-day IL and optioned INF Spencer Horwitz to the Florida Complex League. Belt went 0 for 3 with a walk. ROSTER MOVES Toronto recalled RHP Jay Jackson from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned RHP Nate Pearson to the Florida Complex League. UP NEXT Blue Jays RHP Jos Berros (11-11, 3.58 ERA) was expected to start Wednesday against Yankees RHP Gerrit Cole (14-4, 2.75). ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb