NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole retired his first 16 batters and pitched eight perfect innings to bolster his case for the Cy Young Trophy, leading the New York Yankees to a 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday. Stay over the .500 mark.
Cole (14-4) allowed one run and two hits in his longest outing since April 16, when he posted a two-hit shutout against Minnesota. He struck out nine, walked none and allowed two batters to reach base.
His ERA was 2.75, best in the American League.
Cole won his fourth straight since hitting six in an 8-1 win over Boston on August 19.
Jake Boyers hits a three-run home run in the fourth inning of a fight against Puerto Rican Jose Berrios (11-11). Aaron Judge and Estevan Florial added RBI doubles, and the Yankees avoided a three-game sweep.
Toronto snapped its five-game winning streak. They are a half-game ahead of Texas and Seattle for the second-most of the three wild-card spots in the American League for the postseason.
For the Blue Jays, Dominican Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 1-0 with an RBI. Mexico’s Alejandro Kirk is 3-1.
For the Yankees, Gleyber Torres of Venezuela went 4-1 with one run, while Osvaldo Cabrera went 4-1. Dominican Floreal lost 3 wickets to 1 with RBI.
