NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 Aaron Judge saved a run with a diving catch and scored the go-ahead run on Cody Bellinger’s double as the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 Sunday and closed within two games of the AL East leader.<\/p>\n
Making his second appearance in right field since July 25 because of an injured flexor tendon in his right elbow, Judge took a few steps and sprawled to catch George Springer\u2019s 106.4 mph liner to strand Nathan Lukes at second and protect a one-run lead.<\/p>\n
Judge had three walks, including in the third when he stole second and came home on Bellinger’s double off the right-center field wall.<\/p>\n
Judge had six balls hit to him and made a 70.7 mph throw to second on Ernie Clement’s double in a two-run second. Ben Rice hit a three-run homer in the first off Max Scherzer (5-3) to back Max Fried (16-5), who tied for the major league lead in wins.<\/p>\n
Seeking its first AL East since 2015, the Blue Jays (82-61) won eight of 13 games against the Yankees this year and hold the tiebreaker. New York (80-63) won its second straight over Toronto after losing Friday’s series opener and leads for the top AL wild card.<\/p>\n
Fried allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings and is 3-0 in his last four starts after struggling when he returned from a blister on his pitching hand.<\/p>\n
Toronto closed in the second on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s RBI single and Luke’s sacrifice fly. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who had eight hits in the series, had a tying double in the third following shortstop Anthony Volpe\u2019s 19th error, most among AL shortstops, on an errant throw on Davis Schneider’s grounder.<\/p>\n
Scherzer (5-3), pushed back a day after back stiffness last weekend, gave up four runs and four hits in 4 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n
Key Moment<\/p>\n
David Bednar got his 22nd save after a one-out single by Lukes, who was caught stealing second by Austin Wells. Devin Williams stranded two in the eighth.<\/p>\n
Key Stat<\/p>\n
Fried has a 1.67 ERA in his last four starts.<\/p>\n
Up Next<\/p>\n
Blue Jays: Host Houston on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Yankees RHP Will Warren (8-6, 4.28 ERA) faces Detroit RHP Casey Mize (13-5, 3.87) in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday.<\/p>\n
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