Kevin Gausman struck out 11 in seven outstanding innings while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 5-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Gausman (2-2) bounced back nicely from allowing eight runs Monday in Houston and held the Yankees to three hits. He recorded his second double-digit strikeout game of the season and fanned every Yankee at least once except for DJ LeMahieu and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Guerrero hit a two-run shot for his second homer of the series after reiterating before Friday’s series opener he would not sign with the Yankees when he becomes a free agent. It was his 15th career homer against the Yankees and 12th at Yankee Stadium.
Danny Jansen, who hit a tying homer in the ninth Saturday, added an RBI double in the seventh off Michael King. Jansen also accounted for the final Toronto run when the Yankees could not complete a double play on his grounder in the ninth.
Anthony Rizzo homered in the ninth as the Yankees avoided being blanked for the first time this season.
Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the sixth following an fielding error by New York rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe.
Volpe was charged with his first career error when he moved slightly to his right at the edge of the infield dirt to field George Springer’s grounder. The ball hopped up off Volpe’s glove and he could not make the throw to first base.
After Bo Bichette grounded into a fielder’s choice, Guerrero lined an 0-1 pitch from Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt into the left-field seats.
Two pitches later, Varsho hit an 0-1 pitch into the second deck in right for his second homer as a Blue Jay.
Schmidt (0-2) allowed three unearned runs and three hits in a career-best 5 2/3 innings. He struck out a career-high eight, walked one and lowered his ERA from 8.79 to 6.30
Schmidt retired the first 14 batters before Matt Chapman doubled in the fifth. After striking out Alejandro Kirk, Schmidt walked Whit Merrifield on a full count but completed the fifth by retiring Jansen on a flyout.
The Yankees threatened when LeMahieu opened the fifth with a double that went by Kevin Kiermaier when the center fielder could not complete a diving catch. Gausman stranded LeMahieu by striking out Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza and Kyle Higashioka.
–Field Level Media