The Toronto Blue Jays are back in the postseason win column. After getting swept in the 2020, 2022, and 2023 Wild Card rounds, the Jays have fended off the postseason demons and take an early lead in the division over the Yankees, beating their AL East rival by a score of 10-1.

Alejandro Kirk and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led the way for Toronto, with both players hitting home runs, while Kirk added a second round-tripper to his box score. Guerrero got the party started in the bottom half of the first inning, getting under a Luis Gil changeup to drive it just over the left field wall for a solo shot. Kirk followed in the bottom half of the second frame, tattooing an inside fastball from Gil and sending it over the left field wall as well, leaving the bat at 105.2 MPH.

With the Yankees adding a run in the top half of the sixth frame, the Jays countered in the bottom half of the seventh inning when Yankees reliever Luke Weaver entered the game. Daulton Varsho walked to start the frame before Anthony Santander moved the Jays centre fielder to third base on a line drive single, putting runners on the corners with zero outs.

An Andres Gimenez single through the right side scored Varsho, making it 3-1. A George Springer walk would load the bases, and with one out on the board, Nathan Lukes took matters into his own hands with a two-run double to right field, making it a 5-1 game. A Guerrero sac-fly would add another run before the inning was over.

The Blue Jays were not done there, as Kirk would notch his second home run to kick off the bottom of the eighth against Paul Blackburn, sending a 94 MPH sinker over the left field wall to make it 7-1. A double from Varsho and Gimenez, as well as a single from Myles Straw (who replaced Santander earlier in the game), made it 8-1 before Ernie Clement added another run via a sac fly.

Toronto crossed double-digit territory shortly after, with Lukess sending a groundball up the middle to score Gimenez, making it 10-1. Overall, the Jays’ bats collected 14 hits total, with only George Springer and Clement not finding the hit column.

While the Jays’ bats were impressive, so was the start from Kevin Gausman, who went 5 2/3 innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out three. He had retired over ten batters in a row at one point in the game and was cruising along until the top of the sixth inning, when he loaded the bases for Aaron Judge with zero outs.

He was able to get the Yankees slugger to swing overtop a splitter for the strikeout, but walked Cody Bellinger to score a run, making it 2-1 at the time. He was able to get Ben Rice to pop out to third base, but was lifted for Louis Varland with Giancarlo Stanton at the plate. The right-hander took care of the Yankees’ right-handed hitter, getting him to strike out swinging on a 100 MPH fastball.

From there, the Blue Jays’ bullpen was in cruise control, with Seranthony Dominguez, Brendon Little, and Jeff Hoffman shutting down the Yankees’ bats the rest of the way. The trio allowed just one hit across 2 2/3 innings of work, striking out two and using a limited number of pitches (Dominguez = 7, Little = 14, Hoffman = 17).

On top of the stellar pitching, the Blue Jays got some support on the defensive side of the game as well.

Guerrero made an impressive diving play in the top half of the second inning, snagging a Ryan McMahon sharp line drive for the out and then touching first base to get Jazz Chisholm Jr. out for the double play. As well, Nathan Lukes made an impressive diving play in the fifth play, taking an extra base hit away from Chisholm down the right field line.

The Blue Jays will look to extend their ALDS lead tomorrow afternoon, with Trey Yesavage making the start. The Yankees will counter with Max Fried, who will be making his second start of the postseason.