Judge hits MLB’s 31st home run and Cole gets his first win of the season as Yankees beat Blue Jays 8-1

TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Judge hit a league-high 31st home run, Gerrit Cole threw five innings for his first win of the season and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 on Sunday, splitting the result of their four-game series.

Juan Soto joined New York’s lineup at the last minute after missing Saturday’s loss with a right hand injury. The three-time All-Star and 2020 NL batting champion went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two walks.

DJ LeMahieu and Trent Grisham each had two hits and two RBIs for the Yankees. Ben Rice scored twice and ran in a run.

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

“It’s just head and shoulders higher than anything we see,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “What he and Juan are doing 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 road trip with a 2-4 record, which it started with two losses in Queens against the Mets.

Cole (1-1) started the first of those interleague losses, allowing six earned runs in four innings. He bounced back 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 mix of stuff and leadership,” Cole said. “I threw pretty smart for the most part. It was a good day.”

Michael Tonkin had five outs, Tim Hill retired all four batters he faced and Josh Maciejewski 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 hit against Gausman, and his most against any opposing pitcher.

“Any time you give a guy like Gerrit 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 all-time in Yankees history.

Gausman (6-7) allowed a season-worst seven earned runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He broke five for the season and scored seven. The right-hander 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 ejected after a two-stroke game clock violation to end the fourth and end the second.

MOVING THE COMPOSITION

New York selected Maciejewski’s contract with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and designated RHP Phil Bickford for assignment.

TORONTO TRADE

The Blue Jays acquired RHP Yerry Rodríguez from Texas for minor league RHP Josh Mollerus. Toronto assigned Rodríguez to Triple-A Buffalo.

TRAINER’S ROOM

New York has moved the rehab assignment of RHP JT Brubaker (elbow surgery) from the rookie-level Florida Complex League to Double-A Somerset.

IN THE FUTURE

Yankees: Rookie RHP Luis Gil (9-3, 3.15 ERA) will start Tuesday at home against Cincinnati RHP Graham Ashcraft (4-4, 5.45) in the first game of a three-game series.

Blue Jays: RHP Yariel Rodríguez (0-2, 5.94 ERA) will start the Canada Day matinee against Houston RHP Hunter Brown (5-5, 4.37) on Monday afternoon.

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