TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk had his second straight two-homer game to power the Toronto Blue Jays to a 10-1 rout of the New York Yankees in Game 1 of their American League Division Series on Saturday.
Kirk, who drove in six runs in Toronto’s regular-season finale last Sunday, hit a solo shot in the second inning and added another in the eighth.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. opened the scoring with a solo homer off Luis Gil (0-1) in the first inning and starter Kevin Gausman (1-0) was effective over 5 2/3 frames as Toronto won its first playoff game since 2016.
Game 2 in the best-of-five series was scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre.
Gausman ran into trouble in the sixth by loading the bases with nobody out. He struck out slugger Aaron Judge before walking Cody Bellinger to make it a one-run game.
After getting Ben Rice on an infield fly, reliever Louis Varland came on and struck out Giancarlo Stanton.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
Nathan Lukes hit a two-run double in Toronto’s four-run seventh inning. The Blue Jays piled on with four more runs in the eighth.
Toronto outhit New York 14-6.
The Yankees advanced to the ALDS on Thursday with a 4-0 win over the Boston Red Sox in the deciding game of their three-game wild-card series.
New York won the AL pennant last year before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
The Blue Jays, who have been swept in the wild-card round three times since 2020, are making their first ALDS appearance since 2016.
TAKEAWAYS
Blue Jays: Toronto wanted to get Gil’s pitch count up to tax a bullpen that was used frequently against the Red Sox. Gil’s pitch count was at 37 after just two innings and he was pulled after giving up a two-out single to Guerrero in the third.
Yankees: The powerful New York offence didn’t take advantage of its opportunities. The heart of the batting order could have turned the game in the sixth inning but didn’t deliver.
KEY MOMENT
Gausman made the imposing Judge wave at a full-count splitter for the first out of the sixth inning to the delight of the sellout crowd of 44,655.
KEY STAT
The Blue Jays had six hits in the eighth inning — including three for extra bases — to put the game away.
COMING UP
Blue Jays rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage (1-0, 3.21 earned-run average) was tabbed to start on Sunday against left-hander Max Fried (19-5, 2.86).
Yankees southpaw Carlos Rodon (18-9, 3.09) and Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (4-2, 3.57) were scheduled to start Game 3 on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press