Aaron Judge’s early two-run homer gives the Yankees an 8-1 victory over the Blue Jays

By John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press, June 30, 2024

TORONTO – Aaron Judge’s two-run homer gave New York a quick lead that the Yankees never relinquished in Sunday’s 8-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

DJ LeMahieu scored two more runs with a single and a double as New York (54-32) split the four-game series. Trent Grisham added a two-run double and Ben Rice had an RBI single.

Gerrit Cole (1-1) allowed one run on three hits and a walk in five innings. Last year’s Cy Young Award winner struck out six and lowered his earned run average to 6.23 in just his second start of the season.

Michael Tonkin, Tim Hill and Josh Maciejewski combined to throw four innings without losing a point.

Justin Turner’s RBI single in the fourth was the only run scored by Toronto (38-45) as its offense continued to struggle.

Kevin Gausman (6-7) gave up seven runs on seven hits and five walks but struck out seven in 4 1/3 innings. Genesis Cabrera, Nate Pearson, Jose Cuas, Chad Green and Bowden Francis came out of the bullpen for the Blue Jays.

Judge quickly got the Yankees on the board with a powerful 94.5-mph fastball to the middle of Gausman’s plate. Judge’s 31st home run of the year sailed 423 feet with an exit velocity of 170.8 mph, scoring Juan Soto for a 2-0 lead.

LeMahieu again headed for New York’s rim in the second inning when his shot fell to left field, giving Rice time to score his second and advance Austin Wells to second.

Grisham’s single loaded the bases, and although Gausman struck out Anthony Volpe, Soto scored a walk – in the third of the inning – to give Wells a 4-0 lead.

Gausman punched Judge and then triggered an Alex Verdugo popfly to limit the damage and get out of the round.

Turner answered for Toronto in the third period when his groundout to center field set up Spencer Horwitz for second. It was Turner’s 26th RBI of the season.

Two straight doubles in the fifth inning gave the Yankees an even bigger lead.

LeMahieu’s fly to center field scored Gleyber Torres, then Grisham’s shot deep into right field went past Toronto shortstop George Springer to give LeMahieu and Rice a 7-1 Yankees lead.

Rice added another run in the next inning, doubled by Verdugo to center.

GUNS TRADE – Toronto acquired right-handed pitcher Yerry RodrÃguez from the Texas Rangers in exchange for right-hander Josh Mollerus 20 minutes before the game. RodrÃguez was immediately reassigned to the Blue Jays triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, NY

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER – Soto joined the Yankees very late and was added to the batting order six minutes before the first whistle. He missed Saturday’s 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays with a right hand injury.

ON DECK – MLB rookie Yariel Rodriguez (0-2) gets the start as Toronto welcomes the Houston Astros on Canada Day matinee.

Francis will likely take over for the Blue Jays after Rodriguez, as the starter still has a limited pitch limit.

Hunter Brown (5-5) is scheduled to play in Houston’s only American League game on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2024.

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