(New York) Giancarlo Stanton broke a tie with a grand slam in the third inning and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 on Sunday afternoon.
Stanton gave the lead 5-1 by catapulting a pitch from Bowden Francis (0-2) to the second balcony in left field. It was his 11e career grand slam and his first since September 2022.
“It was just a good spot and you know it as soon as the ball comes off the bat,” Stanton said.
Stanton also homered Saturday, during a three-hit performance that followed a three-hit season start in 24 at-bats. He slammed a long ball in a second straight game for the first time since a three-game streak, from August 2 to 4, 2023.
“It was quite a strike,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. You know it right away and I reacted. It was just a good at-bat and obviously the inning that we built, guys had some good plate appearances before him to set the table for that situation. »
The Yankees won eight of their first 10 games this season and won their first three series. They are having their best start to the season after 10 games since 2020.
“We’ve been able to win games in a lot of different ways,” Boone said.
Anthony Volpe hit three singles and stole two bases in the eighth inning to eventually cross the plate following a hit by Oswaldo Cabrera. Juan Soto added a point on a sacrifice fly.
Yankees starter Luis Gil walked Alejandro Kirk in the third inning with the bases all loaded. Anthony Rizzo tied the game by drawing a walk before Stanton put his team ahead.
Jake Cousins (1-0) signed his first victory with the Yankees and his first in the Majors since 2022. He allowed an unearned run in the fifth inning.
Francis allowed five runs in three innings for the Blue Jays.
“The walks hurt, especially against this type of lineup,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. He lost the strike zone and sent a ball right through the heart of the plate to Stanton. »