TORONTO — Alejandro Kirk homered twice and the Toronto Blue Jays trounced the New York Yankees 10-1 Saturday in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits, including a homer, and added a sacrifice fly while Nathan Lukes had three RBIs to help the Blue Jays earn their first postseason win since 2016 — snapping a streak of seven straight losses.
Aaron Judge had two hits for the Yankees, but the slugger struck out with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth with the Blue Jays clinging to a 2-0 lead. Kevin Gausman’s full-count pitch plunged low and outside, but Judge chased the off-speed offering.
“The Judge at-bat was huge, to get that out,” said Toronto manager John Schneider.
Guerrero hit his first career postseason home run with two out in the first against Luis Gil (0-1), a shot to left on a 2-1 changeup.
In the second, Guerrero was a factor defensively. He snared Ryan McMahon’s broken-bat line drive and stepped on first for an inning-ending double play.
Kirk led off the home second with his first career postseason homer when he cranked a first-pitch fastball to left.
“They were hunting top of the zone a little bit,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “I thought they put a lot of good swings on him.
“We can live with the two solo home runs and thought we could piece it together.”
Tim Hill replaced Gil after Guerrero’s two-out single in the third and allowed Addison Barger’s infield hit before ending the inning. Gil gave up two runs and four hits with no walks and two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
Lukes made a diving catch before skidding across the right-field line to rob Jazz Chisholm Jr. of a hit in the fifth.
The Yankees loaded the bases with none out in the sixth on Anthony Volpe’s double high off the left-field wall, Austin Wells’s single and Trent Grisham’s walk. Judge struck out before Cody Bellinger’s walk forced in a run. After Gausman retired Ben Rice on an infield fly, Louis Varland came in and struck out Giancarlo Stanton with a 101-mph fastball to end the inning.
“I would take Louis Varland against anybody right now,” Gausman said. “He has taken his game to another level. That was one of the greatest trades we’ve ever made.”
Gausman (1-0) allowed one run, four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Seranthony Dominguez replaced Varland in the seventh after McMahon’s one-out single.
Luke Weaver walked Daulton Varsho to lead off Toronto’s seventh. Anthony Santander and Gimenez singled to score a run. Fernando Cruz replaced Weaver. Pinch runner Myles Straw was forced at third on Ernie Clement’s bunt and George Springer walked to load the bases. Lukes lined a two-run double to right and Guerrero hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 6-1 lead.
Brendon Little pitched around Judge’s double in the eighth.
Kirk led off the home eighth with a homer against Paul Blackburn. Gimenez added an RBI double, Clement had a sacrifice fly and Lukes contributed an RBI single.
–Larry Millson, Field Level Media
