Bichette homers twice, Blue Jays top Yanks 6-5, tighten race

TORONTO (AP) — Bo Bichette homered twice, tiebreaking home run off Clay Holmes in the eighth inning that lifted the Toronto Blue Jays over the Yankees 6-5 Wednesday night, tightened the AL wild card race and ended New York's seven-game winning streak.

Marcus Semien hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the first off a faltering Gerrit Cole, setting a big league record with his 44th home run of the season as a second baseman. Semien topped the 43 by Davey Johnson for for Atlanta in 1973.

George Springer doubled on Cole's first pitch and Semien homered on Cole's sixth. Springer hit an RBI single in the second and Bichette's solo homer in the third built a 4-0 lead against Cole, who allowed his first six hits on fastballs.

Kyle Higashioka hit a tying, two-run single in the seventh off Tim Mayza.

With the score 5-all, Bichette led off the eighth against Clay Holmes (8-4) with his 28th home run, an opposite-field drive that cleared the scoreboard in right-center.

Adam Cimber (3-4) got four outs for the win. With a runner on second and the crowd of 29, 601 on its feet, Jordan Romano retired Tyler Wade on a game-ending flyout for his 22nd save in 23 chances.

Boston closed within one game of the wild card-leading Yankees, and Toronto is one game back of the Red Sox. Seattle, which began the day 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees, hosted Oakland in a late game.

New York's Joey Gallo hurt a hand when hit by a Mayza pitch in the sixth and left the game. Luke Voit appeared to hurt a leg running to first after striking out later in the inning.

Cole allowed five runs and nine hits in six innings, raising his ERA to 3.23. He could start Sunday on three days' rest against Tampa Bay in the regular-season finale or would be lined up to pitch next Tuesday's wild-card game.

Toronto has hit a...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Bichette-homers-twice-Blue-Jays-top-Yanks-6-5-16497973.php