Yusei Kikuchi Wins for the First Time This Season and the Toronto Blue Jays Beat the Yankees 5-4

AP

11:24 JST, April 17, 2024

TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base four times and had two RBIs, Yusei Kikuchi won for the first time this season and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Yankees 5-4 on Tuesday night, handing New York its third consecutive loss.

Bo Bichette hit an RBI single and Justin Turner added a sacrifice fly as the Blue Jays became the first opponent to win a series against the Yankees this year. New York had won its first five series for the third time in franchise history, matching its starts of 1926 and 2010.

Guerrero went 2 for 3 with two walks and two singles.

Blue Jays left fielder Davis Schneider made a diving catch on Anthony Rizzo’s fly ball for the final out of the New York sixth inning, stranding a runner at first. Rizzo was denied again when Daulton Varsho made a diving catch on his sinking liner to left opening the ninth.

Kikuchi (1-1) allowed one run and three hits in six innings with one walk and nine strikeouts, which matched his season high

Entering Tuesday, the Blue Jays hadn’t scored a run while Kikuchi was on the mound during his three prior starts this season.

Trevor Richards gave up two runs in the seventh and Yimi Garcia worked a 1-2-3 eighth. Jordan Romano gave up a run in the ninth but finished for the save in his season debut, getting Oswaldo Cabrera to ground out with the tying run at third. Romano had been sidelined since spring training because of a sore elbow.

New York left-hander Carlos Rodón (1-1) allowed three runs, five hits and four walks in four innings, throwing 62 of 101 pitches for strikes.

The Yankees, who went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position, opened the scoring on Jose Trevino’s two-out RBI single in the second. Turner’s sacrifice fly tied it in the third, and Guerrero made it 3-1 with a two-out hit in the fourth.

Toronto’s Ernie Clement scored from third when Gleyber Torres couldn’t handle a throw to second base on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s stolen base in the sixth. Bichette drove in Kiner-Falefa with a two-out hit.

Yankees leadoff hitter Anthony Volpe went 0 for 4 and matched a career-high with four strikeouts. Volpe came in with a pair of two-strikeout games this season but hadn’t fanned three or more times in a game. He also struck out four times last July 17 in a 10-inning loss to the Angels.