George Springer hit two three-run home runs in the first two innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting New York Yankees 9-2 on Thursday.
Springer finished 3-for-3 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a solo homer and an RBI double to help the Blue Jays earn their second consecutive win.
Trent Grisham hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who dropped a fourth straight game for the first time this season. New York has lost seven of its past eight games.
Toronto’s Isiah Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an infield single in the fourth. He also was hit by pitches three times.
Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios (7-6) allowed two runs, two hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings.
New York left-hander Carlos Rodon (9-5) gave up eight runs, 10 hits and one walk while striking out eight in five innings. He also plunked Kiner-Falefa with pitches twice.
Toronto pulled away with five runs in the first inning.
Bo Bichette led off with a single that ticked off the glove of diving shortstop Anthony Volpe before Kiner-Falefa was hit on the foot by a pitch. Guerrero hit a broken-bat soft grounder past first base for an RBI double. First baseman Ben Rice watched as Justin Turner’s dribbler down the first base line stayed fair and hit the bag for an RBI single. Springer followed with a blast to left for a 5-0 lead.
Rodon hit Kiner-Falefa on the foot for the second time to lead off the second. Turner walked with one out, and Springer hit his 250th career homer, his eighth of the season, a shot to left-center.
Berrios retired nine in a row before he hit Oswaldo Cabrera with a pitch with one out in the fifth. Grisham then socked his fifth homer of the season, a drive to left.
Phil Bickord allowed Guerrero’s 11th homer of the season in the sixth.
The Yankees recalled right-hander Jake Cousins from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before the game, and he pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
New York right-hander Yoendrys Gomez was optioned to Triple-A, and left-hander Clayton Andrews chose to become a free agent instead of accepting an outright assignment to the minors.
–Field Level Media