Yankees flex enough power to hold off Blue Jays

Field Level Media|published: Sat 6th April, 22:53 2024

Apr 6, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) celebrates with center fielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting a two run home run in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. credits: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo hit two-run homers, Giancarlo Stanton rapped a solo homer and the New York Yankees chased Kevin Gausman early and hung on for a 9-8 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night.

Judge and Stanton homered in New York's three-run first inning off Gausman (0-1) as the Yankees won for the seventh time in nine games to start the season. Judge hit an 0-2 splitter to left field for a 2-0 lead and Stanton lifted a first-pitch fastball that just cleared the right field seats and was upheld after a brief crew chief review.

Including the playoffs, it was the 36th time, Judge and Stanton homered in the same game. The Yankees are 32-4 in those games.

Rizzo homered off the right field foul pole in the fifth off Mitch White to push New York's lead to 8-2 as the Yankees bounced back from a 3-0 loss in their home opener on Friday.

Judge and Stanton reached base a combined seven times. Judge also singled and walked twice while Stanton had three hits, giving him 500 as a Yankee.

Gleyber Torres added a sacrifice fly while Juan Soto reached four times and hit a pair of RBI singles. His walk to set up Judge's second homer of the season.

New York's Clarke Schmidt allowed two runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three. Luke Weaver (3-0) followed Schmidt and allowed three runs in two innings but was awarded the win by the official scorer.

Clay Holmes struck out George Springer to secure his fourth save after coming on for Ian Hamilton, who allowed three runs.

Gausman allowed six runs (five earned) on four hits in 1 1/3 innings. His fastball velocity dipped from 94.5 mph in his season debut to 91.5 in the 50-degree weather.

Justin Turner lifted a sacrifice fly and Kevin Kiermaier hit an RBI groundout for the Blue Jays. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a solo homer, Daniel Vogelbach contributed an RBI double and Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly in Toronto's three-run seventh.

The Blue Jays scored three in the ninth on an RBI double by Davis Schneider, a run-scoring groundout by Alejandro Kirk and an RBI single by pinch hitter Cavan Biggio.

—Field Level Media