Blue Jays edge Yankees 2‑1 behind Yesavage’s strong start

NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Toronto Blue Jays snapped a two-game losing streak to the New York Yankees with a 2-1 victory Wednesday at Yankee Stadium II, using a two-run seventh inning and a strong start from Trey Yesavage to salvage the finale of the three-game series.

Yesavage, a right-hander, pitched seven scoreless innings, scattering four hits and striking out seven, to improve to 2-1 on the season. He allowed only one runner to reach second base through the first six innings and worked around a pair of singles in the seventh to keep the Yankees off the board. Louis Varland earned his sixth save despite giving up a run in the ninth, striking out Amed Rosario with the tying run at second to end the game.

The Blue Jays, now 22-27, broke a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh against Yankees starter Cam Schlittler. Ernie Clement led off with a soft ground-ball single to third base. Jesús Sánchez walked, and Brandon Valenzuela followed with a bunt single that loaded the bases. Andrés Giménez then drew a walk on a full count after a replay review confirmed the pitch result, forcing in Clement for the game’s first run.

George Springer grounded into a force out at home, leaving the bases loaded with one out, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lofted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Valenzuela to make it 2-0. Schlittler struck out Daulton Varsho to end the inning, limiting the damage to two runs.

Schlittler, who dropped to 6-2, pitched six innings and allowed two earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven. He retired the side in order in the first, second and fourth innings and worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fifth by getting Springer to fly out.

The Yankees, now 30-20, mounted a threat in the bottom of the seventh. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled to center and Paul Goldschmidt singled to center, putting runners at first and second with one out. Rosario flew out to right, and Ryan McMahon grounded out softly to end the inning.

Toronto missed a chance to add insurance in the eighth when Kazuma Okamoto struck out, Yohendrick Piñango lined out and Clement struck out.

In the bottom of the ninth, Varland entered seeking his sixth save. Aaron Judge struck out for the third time in the game, giving him an 0-for-4 night. Cody Bellinger doubled to left, and Chisholm Jr. followed with an infield single that deflected off Varland, putting runners at the corners. Goldschmidt grounded out to the pitcher, scoring Bellinger to cut the deficit to 2-1. Rosario then struck out swinging to end the game.

Goldschmidt finished 1 for 4 with the RBI, the only extra-base hit among Yankees starters aside from Bellinger’s double. Trent Grisham, who entered as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement, went 1 for 1 with a double in the second inning. Judge, Anthony Volpe, Spencer Jones, Rosario, McMahon, Austin Wells and Ben Rice each went hitless, combining for 0 for 23 with nine strikeouts.

For Toronto, Clement went 1 for 4 with a run scored. Sánchez had two singles and a walk. Guerrero Jr. singled and drove in a run. Varsho doubled and struck out three times. Valenzuela had a single and a sacrifice bunt. Giménez drew two walks and had a single.

The Blue Jays, who lost 5-4 on Tuesday and 7-6 on Monday in the first two games of the series, avoided a sweep and evened their season record against the Yankees at 2-2. Toronto next plays at New York again Thursday before returning home to face Pittsburgh.

The Yankees had won four of their previous six games coming into Wednesday, including a series sweep of the Texas Rangers and a split with the Mets, but have now dropped two of their last three at home.

The attendance was 37,497. The game lasted 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Toronto Blue Jays 4, New York Yankees 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected the Yankees with a 59.00 percent probability to win. New York had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over-under line of 8.