NEW YORK – This series has been circled on the Yankees’ calendars for some time, last year’s postseason memories serving as fuel with the Blue Jays occupying the visitors’ dugout in the Bronx. As Jazz Chisholm Jr. put it: “We owe you something.”
So far, that debt is being repaid. Ryan McMahon hit a game-tying three-run homer and Ben Rice launched a go-ahead two-run shot as the Yankees fought out from an early hole, posting a 5-4 victory over Toronto on Tuesday evening at Yankee Stadium.
Down three runs to Dylan Cease after Will Warren’s fourth-inning stumble, McMahon erased the deficit by lifting an opposite-field drive that cleared the left-field wall. The homer, McMahon’s fourth of the year, snapped an 0-for-24 skid.
Rice gave New York the lead by tagging Cease for his 16th homer in the fifth, tying Aaron Judge for the team lead. Judge and Rice are just the second Yankees duo to belt 16 or more homers before the team’s 50th game, joining Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle, who did it in 1956.
Warren navigated five innings, scattering six hits. With David Bednar and Fernando Cruz unavailable due to recent workloads, Yankees manager Aaron Boone had to mix and match for the final 12 outs. Camilo Doval allowed one run in the ninth but finished for his first save of the season.