NEW YORK — Andrew Benintendi’s first home run as a Yankee could not have come at a better time. The left fielder, who was starting to get booed during the Bombers’ second-half slide, crushed a two-run homer into the second deck of the right-field stands to give the Yankees a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays at the Stadium.
The Yankees (74-48) snapped a three-game losing streak and won just their fifth game in their last 20. The Blue Jays (65-55) had already won the series, the sixth series loss in a row for the Yankees, by winning the first three games of the series. They also cut the Yankees lead in the American League East, which had been 15.5 games on July 8, to eight during this series. They have three more games in Toronto next month.
Benintendi, who the Yankees acquired before the trade deadline, had not hit a home run in 50 games, dating back to June 20th. After an All-Star first half with Kansas City, Benintendi went into Sunday’s game hitting .192/.302/.301 with a .604 OPS, six doubles and a triple in 22 games with the Yankees.
He got booed after striking out in the first inning. That was just after a pregame ceremony on the field to retire Paul O’Neill’s number during which Yankees managing partner Hal Steinbrenner was booed by Yankees fans. So was the mention of the teams’ GM, Brain Cashman.
The Yankees have not given their fans much to cheer about for over a month, but they had no issue with Nestor Cortes, who allowed one run over six innings on three hits and a walk Sunday. He struck out five. It was his seventh start this season with at least six innings pitched and allowing one run or less.
Whit Merrifield hit a weird home run that skipped on the top of the fence in front of the Yankees bullpen in right-center field.
Wandy Peralta came in with two one and one out in the seventh to face pinch hitter George Springer, who singled. Peralta walked Jackie Bradley, Jr. to bring in the Blue Jays’ tying run.
DJ LeMahieu, coming around after missing three games with an inflamed right big toe, drove in both of the Yankees’ first two runs with simple, situational hitting.
LeMahieu singled on a ground ball to left and Rizzo scored from first on the hit and run.
In the third, LeMahieu did it again. He hit a ground ball through the gap at shortstop to score Andrew Benintendi.
