EditorsNote: Changed Aug. 18 to Aug. 21 in 4th graf; Added Zeuch's hits allowed in 5th graf
Rookie catcher Alejandro Kirk was 4-for-4 with a double and a home run, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a triple and two doubles with three RBIs, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting New York Yankees 11-5 Monday night at Buffalo.
Kirk entered the opener of a four-game series with two singles in 10 major league at-bats in five games.
Randal Grichuk added a solo homer and two RBIs for Toronto (28-26). Mike Tauchman had a three-run double for the Yankees (31-23) in the ninth against Wilmer Font.
Toronto starter Matt Shoemaker, making his first start since Aug. 21 because of shoulder inflammation, allowed one run, three hits and two walks in three innings.
Reliever T.J. Zeuch (1-0) allowed one run and one hit in 3 1/3 innings to earn his second career major league win.
Yankees starter Michael King (1-2) allowed five runs, five hits and one walk with six strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
The Yankees scored in the second on walks to Gleyber Torres and Aaron Hicks and a single by Gio Urshela, who extended his hit streak to 10 games.
Home plate umpire Chad Fairchild, who was hit in the mask on a foul ball by Hicks during the top of the second, left the game between the half innings. Paul Nauert moved from second base to home plate.
Kirk started a five-run third with a single, took second when Cavan Biggio walked, and scored on Bo Bichette's single. Teoscar Hernandez and Grichuk added RBI singles. Jonathan Loaisiga replaced King and Guerrero greeted him with a two-run double.
Toronto added four in the fourth. Kirk doubled, Jonathan Davis took first on catcher interference and Biggio walked. Bichette had an RBI single, Hernandez had an infield RBI single to third and a run scored when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. bounced into a double play. Grichuk walked and Guerrero stroked an RBI double. Nick Nelson replaced Loaisiga and allowed Grichuk's 10th homer in the sixth.
Zeuch retired his first nine batters before walking Torres to start the seventh. Hicks doubled and Urshela's groundout scored a run.
Kirk led off the bottom of the seventh with his first career major league home run against Chad Green.
--Field Level Media
