Judge hits the tiebreaking single in 9th as Yankees rally to avoid sweep with 6-4 win over Blue Jays

Updated Apr. 17, 2024 7:29 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Judge broke a 4-all tie with a two-run single in the ninth inning, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton hit solo home runs and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 on Wednesday, avoiding their first sweep of the season.

Daulton Varsho hit two home runs for the Blue Jays, but Toronto’s four-game winning streak was snapped.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider was ejected by plate umpire Ryan Wills for arguing in the bottom of the ninth.

Victor González (1-0) got one out for the win and Clay Holmes finished for his seventh save in eight chances.

Judge was 0 for 12 against Toronto in the series before coming through on a full-count pitch from left-hander Tim Mayza with two outs and the bases loaded.

“Guys in front of me were having great at-bats to kind of lead to that moment and get us in that situation,” Judge said. “Once you step in there, just have some fun and take a good swing.”

Judge’s hit meant New York finished 3-3 on a trip to Cleveland and Toronto.

“Big at-bat for him, big at-bat for us,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “Kind of salvaged the road trip a little bit there.”

Soto had three hits, his third three-hit game of the season. He drove in two and reached base five times.

“What another dominant performance by Juan,” Boone said.

After the game, Schneider said Blue Jays reliever Chad Green was not available because of a sore shoulder.

Toronto finished 6-3 on its first homestand of the season.

“You have a sweep right there against a really good team and didn’t get it done,” Schneider said. “It was still a really good homestand.”

The Yankees trailed 4-1 through seven innings, but Soto homered off Génesis Cabrera in the eighth and Stanton connected off Erik Swanson (0-1) to begin the ninth.

“He damn near hit it out of the stadium,” Judge said of Stanton’s 437-foot blast. “I think that’s what got everybody going.”

Swanson was activated from the injured list Tuesday after being sidelined because of a sore forearm. He retired one of the four batters he faced.

Pinch hitter Jose Trevino greeted Mayza with a tying single over the drawn-in infield. Anthony Volpe fouled out and Soto walked before Judge broke the deadlock with a single down the third-base line.

“At the end of the day, he got the hit in the right moment and the right spot,” Soto said of Judge. “That’s what we’ve been looking for, to see those hits that he gets to help the team to win the game.”

Varsho hit a two-run homer off Marcus Stroman in the second and added a solo blast off Caleb Ferguson in the seventh. The homers were his third and fourth of the season.

It was Varsho’s first multihomer game this season and second of his career. He also did it with Arizona at San Diego on Sept. 7, 2022.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman finished five innings for the first time in four starts this season after missing most of spring training because of a sore shoulder. He allowed one run and four hits, walked three and matched a season high by striking out six.

Gausman lowered his ERA from 11.57 to 8.16.

Yankees starter Stroman allowed two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings against his former team. He walked two and struck out two.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Boone said RHP Gerrit Cole (elbow inflammation) was scheduled to throw for a second straight day Wednesday. It was Cole’s first time throwing on back-to-back days. ... RHP Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) threw a bullpen at New York’s spring training facility in Tampa on Tuesday, Boone said.

UP NEXT

Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (1-0, 3.68 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday when New York hosts Tampa Bay. The Rays had not announced a starter.

Blue Jays: RHP Yariel Rodríguez (0-0, 2.45 ERA) makes his second career start when Toronto visits San Diego on Friday night. RHP Matt Waldron (0-1, 3.14) is scheduled for the Padres.

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