NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Spencer Jones hit a towering two-run homer in the second inning that was upheld on replay, and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.
New York starter Cam Schlittler (11-6) held the Blue Jays to one run and six hits in six innings. The tall right-hander allowed one earned run or fewer for the major league-leading 19th time and got his first win since July 24.
After
Trent Grisham opened the second with a walk, Jones lifted Spencer Arrighetti’s 2-1 curveball to right field. The ball stayed fair, passed the foul pole before landing about halfway up the second deck.
Jones watched the flight of the ball before starting his home run trot. As he was about halfway through, Toronto manager John Schneider called for a review and the home run stood following a brief delay.
It was Jones’ seventh homer and the second time he homered in consecutive games. Jones also went deep at Wrigley Field July 31-Aug. 1.
José Caballero lifted a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead in the fourth as the Yankees won for the ninth time in 13 games. New York moved within three games of first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
Schlittler pitched with runners on for most of his outing. He struck out Jesús Sánchez with two on to end the third, retired Myles Straw with two on to end the fourth before getting an inning-ending double play in the fifth.
Alejandro Kirk had an RBI single in the fifth that extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
After opener Mason Fluharty faced four hitters, Arrighetti (7-6) allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings in his Toronto debut.
Brent Headrick struck out pinch hitter George Springer with a runner on third to end the seventh. David Bednar recorded his 30th save in 33 chances.
Toronto RHP Dylan Cease (7-5, 2.42 ERA) was set to oppose New York LHP Ryan Weathers (5-7, 3.56) on Saturday.
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