Yankees rally in sixth inning, beat Blue Jays 16-5

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays had the good vibes of their two-game mini-win erased by the New York Yankees’ booming bats on Friday.

The Yankees enjoyed a six-run sixth inning and tacked on seven more in the ninth en route to a humiliating 16-5 loss to the Blue Jays before 34,791 at the Rogers Centre.

With a seven-game losing streak that ended Tuesday, the Blue Jays (37-44) are limping to the halfway mark. Meanwhile, the slumping Yankees (53-21) had their season-long four-game winning streak snapped.

Adding insult to the blowout loss was George Springer leaving the game with a left hand contusion after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider hoped Springer would be back on Saturday. Springer has 10 RBIs in his last three games.

Schneider took a little longer than usual for his postgame press conference, but when he came off 19 minutes after the final pitch, he kept a brave face during his version of proceedings.

“There were probably a couple of places we could have added runs, played a little bit cleaner,” Schneider said. “I hate to miss an outing like that.”

Toronto starter Yusei Kikuchi (4-8) pitched the first 10 Yankees in the order. But the Bronx Bombers got to him in the sixth inning with the Blue Jays ahead 3-1.

Juan Soto hit a deep three-run homer to right field, knocking Kikuchi out of the game. He surrendered four runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over five-plus innings.

Nate Pearson was lit up for a two-run homer off Gleybar Torres three batters later. The Yankees left the inning with a four-run lead and never looked back.

Reliever Tim Mayza endured a rough outing. He gave up five runs in New York’s seven-game hitting streak.

In the fourth inning, Toronto second baseman Spencer Horwitz fouled off a grounder on Aaron Judge, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s throw to first base at the plate failed to cut in Soto on the same play for Yankees first rounder.

Then Guerrero was nailed home when a pitch got past Yankees catcher Jose Trevino. But he recovered in time to strike out the Blue Jays slugger.

“(Guerrero) is trying to be aggressive and make something happen,” Schneider said. “We beat ourselves up in some areas that we try to do a little bit too much.”

Former Toronto starter Marcus Stroman was outstanding through four innings. He retired the first inning when Springer singled off Bo Bichette.

The Blue Jays then got to Stroman in the fifth inning for two runs to end their night. With the bases loaded, Guerrero hit a slow roll to second base that the Yankees failed to turn into a double play.

Stroman was visibly upset with his players.

“It was frustrating,” Stroman said. “I felt like I made a good pitch. That was an important spot. I wanted to get back there and I didn’t.”

Stroman lasted 4 1/3 innings. He surrendered three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

Guerrero Jr. hit a solo shot in the seventh inning against Luke Weaver for his fifth homer in seven games.

Yankees reliever Michael Tonkin (3-3) recorded the win.

HIT STREAK

Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his leadoff single to center in the fifth inning. He added his seventh homer of the season in the sixth inning. It is the longest hitting streak by a Blue Jay in 2024.

ON DECK

Chris Bassitt (6-6) will start Saturday for the Blue Jays in the third game of the four-game series. The Yankees will counter with lefty Nestor Cortes (4-6).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 28, 2024.

Tim Wharnsby, Canadian Press