Blue Jays pull away late after squandering big lead to defeat Yankees 11-9

Toronto Blue Jays third base Addison Barger (47) rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run during first inning MLB baseball action in Toronto, on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan

July 02, 2025 - 7:31 PM

TORONTO — A wild pitch from New York Yankees reliever Devin Williams scored George Springer and Addison Barger followed with a run-scoring single in the eighth inning to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a wild 11-9 win on Wednesday.

With their third straight win to open the four-game set, the Blue Jays (48-38) moved into a first-place tie with the Yankees (48-38) in the American League East Division.

The Blue Jays squandered an 8-0 advantage. Aaron Judge pushed the Yankees into a 9-9 tie with his 31st homer, a decisive 440-foot blast off Yimi Garcia (1-2) into the second deck in left field in the eighth inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Springer worked a one-out walk, stole second and advanced to third on Alejandro Kirk's sacrifice fly to centre. Barger knocked in Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Williams (2-3) took the loss, while Jeff Hoffman registered his 20th save before 30,985 at Rogers Centre.

Barger's three-run blast and Davis Schneider's two-run homer played a big part in the Blue Jays' seven-run first inning.

The home team was ahead 8-0 before the Yankees struck for six in the fifth inning. Giancarlo Stanton's three-run shot made it 8-6.

The Yankees scored again in the sixth, but Schneider's second homer in the seventh inning put Toronto in front 9-7.

Toronto's Jose Berrios went 4 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.

Yankees starter Will Warren only lasted four innings. He yielded eight runs on 10 hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

Takeaways

Yankees: After reaching base five times (three walks, two singles) on Tuesday, Judge delivered a single, double, homer and was intentionally walked in five plate appearances.

Blue Jays: In the bottom of the second inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was announced as the American League starting first baseman for the All-Star Game in Atlanta on July 15, joining Judge.

Key Moment

Toronto scored what turned out to be an important run in the third inning when Andres Gimenez's line-drive single deflected off Warren to score Will Wagner for an 8-0 lead.

Key Stat

The Yankees' six-run fifth ended a streak of 14 shutout innings for Berrios.

Up Next

In the series finale, Toronto's Chris Bassitt (7-4) will face Yankees righty Clarke Schmidt (4-4).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025.