LeMahieu's single in the 10th inning gives the Yankees 4-3 win over the Blue Jays
NEW YORK (AP) — DJ LeMahieu hit a game-winning single through a five-man infield in the 10th inning to give the New York Yankees a rain-delayed 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.
Juan Soto launched a tiebreaking homer in the seventh and Gleyber Torres had two hits for the Yankees, who won for the seventh time in eight games. New York remained tied atop the AL East with Baltimore, which won 9-5 at Cleveland.
Aaron Judge was intentionally walked three times by the last-place Blue Jays, who purposely gave him a free pass with the bases empty in the second inning Saturday.
The previous Yankees batter to receive three intentional walks in a game was Bernie Williams against Tampa Bay in September 1999.
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole returned to the mound after missing his scheduled start in Philadelphia last Tuesday due to general body fatigue. The right-hander struggled during a lengthy second inning but rebounded to pitch into the sixth, retiring 10 of his last 11 batters.
Cole allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four without a walk. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner missed the first 75 games of the season with nerve inflammation and edema in his right elbow that had sidelined him since spring training.
New York manager Aaron Boone and hitting coach James Rowson were ejected by plate umpire Tripp Gibson in the seventh for arguing balls and strikes. It was the sixth ejection this season for Boone, most in the majors, and the 39th of his managing career. He has led the big leagues in that category each of the last four seasons.
Rain halted play in the eighth for 1 hour, 49 minutes.
Trent Grisham sacrificed automatic runner Anthony Volpe to third base in the bottom of the 10th. Toronto moved an outfielder into the infield to try to keep the Yankees from scoring, but LeMahieu sent a sharp grounder up the middle against Bowden Francis (4-3) to spark a celebration.
LeMahieu also had a tying sacrifice fly in a two-run sixth as New York erased a 2-0 deficit. He's finally started to deliver some big swings lately after slumping at the plate this season following his return from a foot injury.
Mark Leiter Jr. (3-4) threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win.
Soto's solo homer off the top of the left-center fence gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Alejandro Kirk tied it with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled to extend his hitting streak to 17 games but was thrown out attempting to steal one batter later. Guerrero is batting .508 (32 for 63) during the streak with 19 extra-base hits.
Toronto rookie Yariel Rodríguez allowed four hits over 4 2/3 shutout innings in his 11th major league start.
Kirk and rookie Addison Barger hit consecutive doubles as Toronto sent seven batters to the plate against Cole in the second. Barger scored on a two-out single by Ernie Clement, who finished with three hits.
Volpe became the fifth Yankees player with at least 20 steals in each of his first two seasons — the first since Fritz Masel in 1913 and ’14. Since the All-Star break, the young shortstop is hitting .365 (23 for 63).
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: OF George Springer was rested. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the 10th and stayed in the game.
Yankees: Soto came up favoring his right hand after sliding headfirst into second base on an eighth-inning double. Athletic trainers came out to check on Soto, but he remained in the game. ... LF Alex Verdugo was rested.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Return home to begin a three-game series against Baltimore on Tuesday night, when RHP Chris Bassitt (8-10, 4.02 ERA) faces the Orioles for the second consecutive start. RHP Grayson Rodriguez (13-4, 3.86) pitches for Baltimore.
Yankees: Rookie RHP Luis Gil (11-5, 3.20 ERA) faces Angles RHP Davis Daniel (1-2, 4.91) on Tuesday night in the Bronx.
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This story has been corrected to indicate that Soto’s homer gave the Yankees the lead.
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