(New York) Kevin Gausman struck out 11 in seven innings, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho hit two straight homers after an error by rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Toronto Yankees. New York 5-1, Sunday.
The Blue Jays have won 12 of their last 18 games, in addition to defeating the Yankees twice in three meetings at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees thus lost their first series of the season, those who had won or divided their first six series. It was their longest streak at the start of the season since 2003, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
The Yankees were 11-0 when they could lose a series and were the only team in the league that hadn’t lost one yet.
Gausman (2-2) rallied well after giving up eight hits on Monday, while allowing the Yankees just three. He struck out every Yankees batter at least once except for DJ LeMahieu and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, in addition to having his second 10-or-out game of the season.
Against Clarke Schmidt (0-2), Guerrero hit a deuce in the sixth inning, earning his second homer of the series. He has 15 career long balls against the Yankees, including 12 in 34 games at Yankee Stadium.
Anthony Rizzo hit a long ball for the Yankees in the ninth inning, allowing his team to avoid the shutout for the first time this season.
Schmidt struck out the first 14 batters he faced, before Matt Chapman hit a double to his right.