TORONTO (AP) — George Springer had three hits, including a pair of three-run home runs, José Berríos pitched seven strong innings and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the slumping Yankees 9-2 on Friday night, handing New York its season-worst fourth straight loss and ninth in 11 games.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a solo home run, his 11th, as Toronto won its second straight after losing the previous seven.
Berríos (7-6) went 0-3 in three starts against New York last season. He allowed two runs on two hits, walked three and struck out a season-best eight.
The Yankees opened June with five straight wins, capping an eight-game streak. They are 7-12 since.
“Look, clearly we’ve got to execute better,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got to make better decisions about pitch selection in certain situations, and we’ve got to get it right. I’m confident that we will.”
New York sluggers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge finished 0 for 7 with four strikeouts. Earlier Thursday, Judge was named a starter for the July 16 All-Star Game.
Trent Grisham hit a two-run home run for the Yankees, who had been one of four teams not to lose four straight this season. Cleveland, Milwaukee and Philadelphia have yet to lose four in a row.
Springer came in batting .196 with six home runs, two of which he hit on the first two days of the season. The veteran outfielder also homered in Tuesday’s win at Boston.
“There’s been a lot of stuff I’ve been trying to do to get myself in a position to help us win,” Springer said. “I’m never going to quit.”
Springer drilled a 391-foot drive into the second deck in Toronto’s five-run first inning, then added a 434-foot shot to center in the second.
Springer reached 250 career home runs with his second blast. It was his first multihomer game of the season and the 22nd of his career.
“That’s what we’ve known from George,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
Both of Springer’s homers came against Carlos Rodón. The struggling left-hander has allowed eight runs in back-to-back outings and 21 runs over his past three starts, all losses.
Rodón (9-5) gave up 10 hits and matched a career-worst by allowing eight earned runs in five innings. He walked one and struck out eight.
“They put some really good swings on some fastballs tonight that I didn’t execute,” Rodón said. “It was not fun.”
Boone agreed that Rodón has been hurt by the fastball during his losing streak.
“There’s no question people are selling out to that a little bit and having some success,” Boone said. “They’ve slugged it and that’s hurt him in these few outings.”
Reliever Phil Bickford left the bullpen and started jogging in when Boone came to the mound in the fifth, but Bickford turned around after Rodón talked Boone into letting him finish the inning.
“I just wanted to get through five for the bullpen and prove something to myself,” Rodón said. “Even though I got knocked down, I can get back up.”
Toronto’s first five batters all reached safely and scored.
New York infielder Gleyber Torres sat for the second straight day after also sitting out Wednesday’s road loss to the Mets.
“When you don’t do the right thing for the team, it’s not that easy,” Torres said. “I’m trying to compete really hard, trying to get things right.”
Boone said Torres could return Friday.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was hit by pitches in the first, second and eighth innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: INF DJ LeMahieu (rest) was held out of the starting lineup. … RHP Scott Effross (back surgery) struck out two in a scoreless inning at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
UP NEXT
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-7, 4.00 ERA) is scheduled to start for Toronto on Friday against former Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman (7-3, 3.15).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
