Judge HRs twice, Yankees beat Jays 6-2 to extend WC lead

TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Judge hit two of New York’s five home runs and the Yankees extended their AL wild-card lead by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 Thursday night.

Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo also connected off Blue Jays starter Robbie Ray, and Brett Gardner added a solo homer as New York (91-68) slimmed its magic number to clinch a postseason spot to two. The Yankees host AL East-champion Tampa Bay in their final series of the regular season.

“We’re just getting started,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got more to do. It makes the plane ride home a little nicer, but we’ve got business to attend to tomorrow.”

The Yankees are two games ahead of Boston and idle Seattle, both 89-70, after the Red Sox lost to last-place Baltimore 6-2 earlier Thursday. Toronto trails New York by three games.

“We’ve just got to go one game at a time and win every game now, for sure,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. Toronto hosts the Orioles on the final weekend of the season.

New York has won eight of nine but could be in better shape. First baseman Luke Voit went on the injured list Thursday with a sore left knee, and infielder DJ LeMahieu was replaced in the bottom of the sixth inning because of right hip soreness.

LeMahieu also missed last Saturday’s game at Boston but was able to return Sunday.

“I think it was affecting him more at the plate tonight,” Boone said. “Hopefully like last time, having a little treatment and just managing it as best we can, we’ll see if he’s back in there tomorrow or not.”

Michael King (2-4) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win in relief of Corey Kluber. Luis Severino worked a perfect seventh, Chad Green struck out three straight after giving up a leadoff double in the eighth and...

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