Goldschmidt's 9th-inning HR powers Yankees past Blue Jays

TORONTO (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Saturday.

After Cody Bellinger singled to open the ninth against Blue Jays closer Louis Varland, Goldschmidt followed with a 400-foot drive to left, his ninth home run.

Varland (3-2) had allowed just two earned runs this season before Saturday and hadn’t given up a home run in 36 2/3 innings.

Fernando Cruz (4-1) got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and David Bednar struck out the side in the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances as New York won for the fifth time in six games.

Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. He walked a season-high four and struck out seven.

Toronto’s Kevin Gausman allowed one hit and one run in seven innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

Jasson Domínguez hit a solo home run in his return to the Yankees' lineup, the only hit off Gausman.

New York put runners at the corners with two outs in the eighth, but Tyler Rogers got Domínguez to ground out.

Cruz replaced Schlittler and walked the bases loaded, but escaped by getting Charles McAdoo to foul out to first.

Kazuma Okamoto opened the scoring with a two-out homer off Schlittler in the third, his 15th of the season and second in two games.

Added to the roster before the game to replace injured outfielder Trent Grisham, Domínguez tied it in the fourth with his second homer.

Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was held out of the starting lineup. Manager John Schneider said Guerrero had a sore back.

Up next

Yankees RHP Will Warren (7-1, 3.28 ERA) is scheduled to start Sunday against Blue Jays LHP Patrick Corbin (2-3, 4.55).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb