Aaron Judge hits an MLB-high 31st home run to help the Yankees defeat the Blue Jays

In June, Judge had a .409 average with 11 home runs and 37 RBI.

“It’s just head and shoulders above anything we see,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “What he and Juan do is hard to wrap your head around, especially in this hitting climate.”

Gleyber Torres was 2-for-5, his third straight multi-goal game since being benched last week.

New York finished the trip with a 2-4 record, which began with a pair of losses in Queens to the Mets.

Cole (1-1) started the first of those interleague losses, allowing six earned runs in four innings. He rebounded against the Blue Jays, allowing one run and three hits — all singles.

“Another big step,” Boone said. “I thought his energy and presence were excellent. That was Gerrit Cole today.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner struck out one and walked six. He threw a season-high 90 balls, 61 for strikeouts, in his third start this year since returning from an elbow injury.

“I thought it was a good combination of things and command,” Cole said. “I was throwing pretty smart for the most part. That was a good day.”

Michael Tonkin had five outs, Tim Hill retired all four batters he faced and Josh Maciejewski, whose contract had been selected earlier in the day from Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, ended the game for New York.

Soto singled against Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman in the first half and scored when Judge sent the ball 423 feet toward center field.

“It was a boost of energy,” Boone said.

It was Judge’s fifth career home run against Gausman, and his best against an opposing pitcher.

“Anytime you get a guy like Gerrit in a couple of runs, it’s a really good performance for him,” Judge said.

With his 288th career home run, Judge tied Bernie Williams for seventh place in Yankees history.

Gausman (6-7) allowed a career-high seven earned runs and seven hits in 4⅓ innings. He walked a season-high five and struck out seven. The right-handed pitcher has lost three of his last four starts.

“They had a good game plan against me and it was a tight attacking zone,” Gausman said. “I don’t think it helped me at all.”

Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier fired home a single off Alex Verdugo in the eighth period, clearing the center-field wall and making a spectacular catch.

Verdugo was penalized for a timeout violation, which ended the fourth inning, leaving two players on the ice.