Yankees defeat Blue Jays win All-American East Division

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press

TORONTO — Gleyber Torres drove in three runs on three singles and helped the New York Yankees clinch the American Division East title with a 5-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

This is the 20th section title for the Yankees in their history.

The Yankees (95-59) have won eight of their last nine games and extended their lead to eight and a half games over the Blue Jays (87-68). The Yankees have eight games left while the Blue Jays have seven.

« We knew it was coming, but this is just the first step, » Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said.

Judge has crossed home plate twice thanks to his four walks. However, he remained stuck at 60 homers, one shy of the American record set by Roger Maris in 1961.

Judge hasn’t homered in his last seven games since Sept. 20. He did, however, get 12 walks during that streak.

« I’m going to take four walks in exchange for a win every day, » Judge said.

The Blue Jays saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.

Outfielder George Springer hit a solo long ball to center field, his 52nd homer on a first inning. He pulled off the feat on the second pitch from Yankees starter Jameson Taillon (14-5).

Taillon rebounded from Springer’s at-bat and struck out 16 of the next 17 batters. Only Whit Merrifield reached the bases on a hit during that streak. The Jays came back to the charge in the sixth thanks to singles from Springer and Bo Bichette.

Springer crossed home plate on the next slap, one from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The Dominican star tried to get the second goal, but, like Bichette before him, was taken out.

« Vladdy needs to run faster, » Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider admitted. It is inexcusable. I’ll tell him.

“Every 90-foot run counts at this point in the season. It wasn’t our best. »

Taillon’s outing ended in the eighth inning. He allowed two runs, seven hits and struck out six.

Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios (11-7) saw his night’s work come to an end after five and a third innings. He allowed nine hits, five runs and two walks. He did, however, strike out seven batters.

The Yankees offense came alive in the third inning. Catcher Kyle Higashioka, who also hit three hits, was the spark plug for his team’s two runs in the third with a single. He reached second base after Judge had one of his walks.

Anthony Rizzo’s single on the right allowed Higashioka to score. Judge called after a hit from Torres to center field.

Judge scored again in the fifth after a walk, followed by singles from Rizzo and Torres.

The Yankees scored two more runs in the next inning on back-to-back doubles from Higashioka and Aaron Hicks and a single from Torres.