Ben Rice blasted a tie-breaking home run in the ninth inning and the visiting New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on Tuesday night.
Rice launched a first-pitch fastball over the wall in right center against Jeff Hoffman (6-3) with one out.
The loss ended the Blue Jays’ 11-game home winning streak and cut their lead over the Yankees to three games in the American League East.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run home run for the Yankees. Cody Bellinger added two doubles and a solo homer.
Addison Barger had two RBI singles for Toronto.
New York struck early against Max Scherzer. Trent Grisham led off the first with a single and Bellinger doubled to right center. Aaron Judge struck out before Chisholm homered on a full-count fastball to right center.
Toronto came back with one run in the bottom of the inning against Cam Schlittler, who made his second career start. George Springer walked, then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Barger singled.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the second on an infield hit and two walks, but Guerrero popped out to end the threat.
Scherzer retired six batters in a row before Bellinger scooped a low cutter for a homer to right center. Scherzer allowed four runs, five hits and one walk with four strikeouts in five innings.
Toronto answered with a run in the fifth. Springer and Guerrero singled, Bo Bichette grounded into a double play and Barger grounded an RBI single up the middle.
Schlittler allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts in five innings.
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe’s second throwing error of the series put pinch hitter Myles Straw at first base to open the home sixth with Tim Hill pitching. Pinch hitter Davis Schneider stroked an RBI double into the left-field corner. Jonathan Loaisiga replaced Hill with two out and Springer singled to right to tie the game.
Ian Hamilton (2-1) replaced Luke Weaver with two out and a runner at first and induced a Springer lineout.
Devin Williams pitched around a single in the ninth with two strikeouts to earn his 15th save.
Ben Rice’s ninth-inning blast enables Yankees to stop Jays’ streak
