DJ knocks one through 5-man infield as Yanks walk off Blue JaysDJ knocks one through 5-man infield as Yanks walk off Blue Jays

DJ knocks one through 5-man infield as Yanks walk off Blue Jays 20 minutes ago Bill Ladson @ladsonbill24 Share share-square-498406 NEW YORK — Although he is having the most difficult season of his career, don’t underestimate Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu. For the second time in less than a week, LeMahieu came through in the clutch
DJ knocks one through 5-man infield as Yanks walk off Blue JaysDJ knocks one through 5-man infield as Yanks walk off Blue Jays

DJ knocks one through 5-man infield as Yanks walk off Blue Jays

20 minutes ago

NEW YORK — Although he is having the most difficult season of his career, don’t underestimate Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu.

For the second time in less than a week, LeMahieu came through in the clutch for New York, this time with a walk-off single in a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays in 10 innings on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. It was a game that was delayed for 1:49 by rain before the bottom of the eighth.

That came four days after LeMahieu drove in a career-high six runs against the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon. He is 3-for-8 (.375) in his past three games to raise his batting average to .184

“I know he has been working hard making subtle adjustments to his swing. I think he is feeling some good,” manager Aaron Boone said about LeMahieu. “I think the at-bats are getting better. He is moving the needle. Hopefully, he will gain a little confidence. He can play such a big role for us. I’m really excited for him.”

After leaving 14 runners on base and stranding the bases loaded three times, the Yankees came up clutch against reliever Bowden Francis in the bottom of the 10th. Anthony Volpe scored the winning run on a one-out single by LeMahieu through Toronto’s five-man infield. New York won its third consecutive series and remained tied with the Orioles for first place in the American League East.

“We’re excited. It was a great win. It was one of those games we felt we had some chances, and we just finally put it away. It was a good win for us,” LeMahieu said. “I was able to work on a few things, and I’m taking some pretty good swings. I’m feeling much better at the plate.”

Before the game came to an end, the Yankees could breathe a sigh of relief regarding right-hander Gerrit Cole. After missing a start because of general body fatigue and a stomach bug, Cole was back on the mound against the Blue Jays. He was solid for 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision.

“I thought the stuff got better as the game went on,” Cole said. “We were particularly better with our pitch selection. I felt pretty good stamina-wise. I made enough good pitches today.”

After striking out two in a scoreless first, Cole got into trouble in the second as the Blue Jays scored two runs. With one out, Alejandro Kirk hit a ground-rule double, and Addison Barger doubled to right-center field to score Kirk. Barger scored on a two-out single by Ernie Clement.

After Cole received a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake, he settled down, getting Joey Loperfido to fly out to Aaron Judge in left field to end the frame.

After a leadoff double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the third, Cole retired 10 of the next 11 hitters he faced before leaving the game with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning in favor of Luke Weaver.

“I felt all day long he had a good fastball, a good profile of it,” Boone said of Cole. “I thought he was able to settle in as he went. … I thought he had a good presence. He did a good job with his curveball, slowing them down a little bit and still using his fastball. It was good to see the life on his fastball. I think he tired a little at the end. He finished real strong.”

New York tied the score at 2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Volpe started the frame with singles off right-hander Zach Pop. In came left-hander Ryan Yarbrough for Toronto. After a double steal, Chisholm scored on a groundout by Trent Grisham, and Volpe scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by LeMahieu.

This wasn’t a game in which Judge carried the club offensively. In fact, he was walked intentionally three times. It was Juan Soto who stepped up in the seventh inning against left-hander Génesis Cabrera, working the count to 2-1 before hitting the ball to deep left-center field. The ball hit the top of the wall, then bounced into the bullpen for Soto’s 28th home run of the season.

But it was LeMahieu who had the big hit of the day.

“It’s just totally deserving,” Cole said. “He really had a good day at the plate. It’s nice to see guys like that come through in the clutch and win a game, especially a guy like DJ.”

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