Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer in the first inning Friday night and the visiting Toronto Blue Jays cruised to a 6-1 victory over the New York Yankees.
Guerrero hit his 11th career homer in his 32nd game at Yankee Stadium. He homered after saying before the game how much he enjoys hitting in Yankee Stadium but also reiterating how he will never play for the Yankees.
Brandon Belt also hit a two-run shot for the Blue Jays, who are 11-5 in their past 16 games. Belt added a two-run double in the eighth inning, three batters after Guerrero reached on an infield hit.
Guerrero also reached when he was plunked on the elbow by Greg Weissert in the ninth. He looked back at Weissert and exchanged words with New York first baseman Anthony Rizzo. The umpires ended it before benches could clear.
Oswaldo Cabrera homered for the Yankees, who dropped their fifth straight series opener.
Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi (3-0) allowed one run on four hits in six innings. He got two of his three strikeouts on New York slugger Aaron Judge, walked two and threw 90 pitches.
New York’s Domingo German (1-2) was not checked for any sticky substances like on April 15 when he was checked three times while retiring the first 16 hitters. German allowed four runs on five hits in six innings while striking out six and walking two.
George Springer opened the game by doubling on German’s first pitch. After Bo Bichette popped out, Guerrero hit an 0-1 curveball into the Toronto bullpen in left field for his fourth homer of the season.
Cabrera made it 2-1 by lining an 0-1 fastball down the right field line for his first homer in the third, but Kikuchi retired Anthony Volpe with two on to end the inning and allowed two baserunners the rest of the way.
German retired 12 straight until Matt Chapman walked with one out in the sixth. After German retired Daulton Varsho, Belt hit his first homer since joining Toronto as a free agent when he slugged a first-pitch fastball into New York’s bullpen in center field.
After Toronto’s Erik Swanson pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, Belt lined a double that popped out of Cabrera’s glove on the warning track in right to easily score two runs.
–Field Level Media
