Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning Saturday afternoon, and the visiting New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1.
Louis Varland (3-2) allowed Cody Bellinger’s bloop single to center to open the ninth. Goldschmidt followed by smashing an 0-1 knuckle curve to left for his ninth home run of the season.
David Bednar struck out the side in the home ninth to earn his 14th save, as the Yankees earned a split of the first two games of the three-game series. Fernando Cruz (4-1) survived three walks in the eighth to get the win.
Jasson Dominguez added a solo homer for the Yankees.
Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo shot for the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases against Cam Schlittler in the second but failed to score. They broke through with two outs in the third when Okamoto lined an 0-2 fastball down the left-field line for his second homer of the series.
Dominguez tied the game when he led off the fourth with a homer to right on a 3-2 splitter from Kevin Gausman. Dominguez was recalled from his rehabilitation assignment Saturday when Trent Grisham was put on the injured list with a strained right hamstring.
Toronto threatened in the fourth when Brandon Venezuela walked with one out and took third on Yohendrick Pinango’s double. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm’s diving catch on Charles McAdoo’s line drive kept the game tied.
Schlittler pitched around two walks that opened the home fifth with a double-play grounder and a strikeout.
Gausman retired his final 10 batters to finish with one run allowed, one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.
Schlittler also worked seven innings in which he allowed one run, six hits and four walks with seven strikeouts.
J.C. Escarra and Ben Rice singled with two out in the eight against Toronto reliever Tyler Rogers to put runners at the corners. McAdoo made a diving grab on Dominguez’s hard grounder to first for the final out.
Cruz walked Okamoto and Jesus Sanchez to start the home eighth. Ernie Clement popped out to first on a bunt, and Valenzuela struck out. Pinango walked to load the bases before McAdoo fouled out to first.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not play for Toronto because of a stiff back.
