Spencer Jones hit a two-run homer in the second inning and the New York Yankees extended their winning streak to five games with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.
The Yankees won for the ninth time in their past 13 games thanks to Jones’ seventh homer. A night after hitting an opposite-field homer to left-center in Baltimore, Jones put the Yankees up 2-0 with a drive off Spencer Arrighetti (7-6) that just stayed fair by a few inches inside the right field pole.
The ball went about halfway up the second deck in right field. As the ball reached the seats, Toronto manager John Schneider called for a replay review and the call was upheld.
It marked the second time the outfielder homered in consecutive games as he also connected July 31-Aug. 1 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Jones’ homer gave the Yankees the early lead on a night when starter Cam Schlittler (11-6) faced constant pressure. Schlittler allowed one run on six hits in six innings and earned his first victory since July 24 at Philadelphia.
Schlittler struck out four, walked three and held the Blue Jays to one hit in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position. The right-hander pitched with runners on in each inning except the second and sixth.
Jose Caballero added a sacrifice fly in the fourth for the Yankees, who are on their longest winning streak since losing Aaron Judge to a fractured right rib over two months ago.
In the third, Schlittler fanned Jesus Sanchez with two on for the final out. He retired Myles Straw with two on to end the fourth and got Sanchez to bounce into an inning-ending double play in the fifth.
Alejandro Kirk extended his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI single in the fifth before Sanchez’s double play.
After Schlittler’s outing ended, Brent Headrick struck out pinch hitter George Springer with a runner on third to conclude the seventh. Paul Blackburn pitched a scoreless eighth and David Bednar stranded a runner in the ninth for his 30th save.
Toronto used Mason Fluharty as an opener for four batters before Arrighetti allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings.
