Springer has career-high 7 RBIs, Blue Jays beat Yankees 12-5 to pull within 1 game of AL East lead

TORONTO (AP) – George Springer had a career-high seven RBIs, including his ninth grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays celebrated Canada Day by beating the Yankees 12-5 on Tuesday and closing within one game of AL East-leading New York.

Andrés Giménez had a go-ahead, three-run homer for the Blue Jays, who overcame a 2-0 deficit against Max Fried. After the Yankees tied the score 4-4 in the seventh, Toronto broke open the game in the bottom half against a reeling Yankees bullpen.

Springer went 3 for 4, starting the comeback with a solo homer in the fourth against Fried and boosting the lead to 9-5 with the slam off Luke Weaver after Ernie Clement’s go-ahead single off shortstop Anthony Volpe’s glove. Springer has 13 homers this season.

Toronto won the first two games of the four-game series and closed within one game of the Yankees for the first time since before play on April 20.

New York went 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position, dropping to 3 for 24 in the series, while the Blue Jays were 5 for 7. After going 13-14 in June, the Yankees fell to 10-14 against AL East rivals.

Aaron Judge had two singles and three walks, including his 21st intentional free pass this year, and Jasson Domínguez drove in three runs.

Mark Leiter Jr. (4-6) lost for the second straight day while Braydon Fisher (2-0) got two outs for the Blue Jays, who have won nine of 14.

Giménez put Toronto ahead 4-2 by homering in a four-run fourth off Fried, who had been 8-1 with a 0.93 ERA in 10 starts following Yankees losses.

New York was hurt by a catcher’s interference call against rookie J.C. Escarra for the second straight day, which was followed by Clement’s go-ahead hit. A wide throw by third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a two-out grounder was followed by Giménez’s homer.

Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, who hurt a hamstring Monday, didn’t play but took part in pregame work.

Springer has 26 multi-homer games.

Fried allowed multiple homers for the second time after giving up a pair to Shohei Ohtani on May 30.

Yankees RHP Will Warren (5-4, 4.37 ERA) faces Toronto RHP José Berríos (4-3, 3.26) on Wednesday.