NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Rice hit a two-run homer that broke a fifth-inning tie and the New York Yankees held off the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on a 90-degree night Tuesday in the Bronx.
Ryan McMahon pulled New York even with a three-run shot off Dylan Cease following two walks in the fourth. Will Warren (6-1) went five innings for the win, and the Yankees got excellent relief work from a bullpen that’s been shaky of late.
Tim Hill, Jake Bird and Brent Headrick combined to allow just one hit over three scoreless innings. With closer David Bednar receiving a rest, Camilo Doval gave up a sacrifice fly to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a wobbly ninth before earning his second save with the Yankees and first this season.
Doval pounded his chest after retiring Kazuma Okamoto on a game-ending grounder to shortstop Anthony Volpe with two runners in scoring position. New York improved to 11-1 in its last 12 home games.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected after the seventh, when he came out of the dugout to argue that center fielder Daulton Varsho trapped the ball on a diving catch to end the inning. However, it appeared Boone was still mostly steamed about Volpe being called out at second on a stolen base attempt in the fourth.
It was the 48th time Boone has been ejected in his career as a manager, and second this season.
Cease (3-2) struck out nine but needed 100 pitches to get through five innings. He walked four, including Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the fourth before McMahon’s opposite-field homer to left.
The right-hander also walked Trent Grisham before Rice connected for his 16th homer, tying Judge for the team lead.
Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the fourth on RBI singles by Yohendrick Pinango, Jesús Sánchez and Andrés Giménez.
Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement, who homered and drove in four runs during Monday night’s 7-6 defeat, didn’t start because of strep throat but delivered a pinch-hit single in the ninth.
Toronto lefty reliever Joe Mantiply was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with left knee inflammation.
Up next
In an attractive matchup of young arms Wednesday night, Blue Jays RHP Trey Yesavage (1-1, 1.40 ERA) faces Yankees RHP Cam Schlittler (6-1, 1.35).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB