Blue Jays waste 8-run lead, then outlast Yankees 11-9 to tie New York for AL East lead

TORONTO (AP) – The Toronto Blue Jays wasted an eight-run lead, that outlasted the Yankees 11-9 Wednesday night as George Springer scored the go-ahead run on Devin Williams’ eighth-inning wild pitch to tie New York for the AL East lead.

Toronto scored seven runs in the first inning off Will Warren and led 8-0 in the third, but the Yankees rallied with six runs in a sixth that included Giancarlo Stanton’s first home run of the season, a three-run drive. New York tied the score 9-9 in the eighth when Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer off Yimi García (1-2), Judge’s 31st home run this season.

Springer walked with one out in the bottom half off Williams (2-3) and stole second. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was intentionally walked, both runners advanced on Alejandro Kirk’s flyout and Williams bounced a changeup as Springer came home. Addison Barger followed with an RBI single.

Toronto won its third straight in the series and matched the Yankees at 48-38. New York had held sole possession of the division lead since April 14, opening a seven-game advantage by late May. The Yankees are 13-18 since May 28, losing six of the past 10 series. Toronto has gone 21-10 in that span.

Davis Schneider hit two home runs and Barger hit a three-run drive in the first. Barger reached base three times and had four RBIs.

Jeff Hoffman worked around Trent Grisham’s two-out single in the ninth, retiring Ben Rice on a popup for his 20th save in 24 chances.

Judge had three hits and three RBIs. He was intentionally walked for the 22nd time, one shy of Mickey Mantle’s Yankees season record and the most for a player before the All-Star break since Albert Pujols’ 23 in 2010.

Springer’s steal of second.

Judge’s single in the third had an exit velocity of 118.1 mph, his hardest-hit ball since 118.4 mph in 2022.

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (4-4, 3.09 ERA) is scheduled to face Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassit (7-4, 4.29) in Thursday’s series finale.