New York Yankees vs Toronto Blue Jays Box Score on Jun 16, 2021

Gary Sanchez hit a two-run pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Wednesday night at Buffalo, N.Y.

Gerrit Cole (8-3) allowed two runs, four hits and one walk in eight innings for the Yankees, who have won the first two games of the three-game series.

Aroldis Chapman pitched into and out of a jam in the ninth to earn his 14th save. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off with a single, and Teoscar Hernandez followed with a double. Randal Grichuk struck out, and Guerrero was caught off third on pinch hitter Santiago Espinal's grounder to Chapman for the second out.

The first pitch to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was ruled a foul ball, despite the Blue Jays' pleas that it was a swing and miss. The ball glanced off Sanchez's glove and off umpire C.B. Bucknor's mask. Hernandez crossed home plate but was sent back. Gurriel then lined out to center to end the game.

Marcus Semien and Cavan Biggio hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays.

Toronto right-hander Ross Stripling (2-4) allowed three runs (two earned), three hits and two walks while striking out nine in 6 2/3 innings.

The Yankees loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning and scored once on Giancarlo Stanton's sacrifice fly. It scored DJ LeMahieu, who reached first on third baseman Joe Panik's throwing error, took second on Aaron Judge's single and moved to third when Gleyber Torres walked.

Semien led off the bottom of the first with his 16th home run of the season.

Biggio hit his sixth homer of the season with one out in the bottom of the fifth to put Toronto ahead 2-1.

Stripling pitched around another throwing error by Panik in the sixth and showed his displeasure with the third baseman.

Miguel Andujar led off the seventh with a single. With one out, Sanchez batted for Kyle Higashioka and hit his 10th homer of the season, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

Blue Jays right-hander Patrick Murphy (right sprained AC joint) was activated from the 60-day injured list and pitched a perfect ninth. Right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. (oblique strain) was put on the IL.

--Field Level Media