Yankees Secure Victory Thanks to Goldschmidt’s Late Heroics
TORONTO — It seems like Paul Goldschmidt has found a way to defy time, or perhaps, he just knows how to deliver in crucial moments.
The Yankees are certainly reaping the benefits of his performances, especially during this stretch when they really need a boost. On Saturday at Rogers Center, Goldschmidt came through with a crucial two-run homer off Blue Jays closer Louis Burland in the top of the ninth, clinching a 3-1 win for New York in front of a packed crowd of 42,364 fans.
At 38, Goldschmidt has been filling in at designated hitter and first base while Giancarlo Stanton recovers from a calf injury. His timely blast broke a 1-1 tie, marking his first homer against Berland this season. After the game, Goldschmidt’s batting average stood at .285, with nine home runs and an OPS of .889.
This decisive hit came after a seven-inning duel between pitchers Cam Schlitter and Kevin Gausman, with both sides managing just one run until that point. Schlitter walked a season-high four batters but struck out seven, while Gausman skillfully limited hard contact and gave up only one hit, a solo homer to Jason Dominguez.
Once Gausman exited, the Yankees quickly added to their hit tally with singles from JC Escala and Ben Rice, putting runners on the corners with two outs against Tyler Rodgers. Unfortunately for Dominguez, his chance to shine was thwarted when first baseman Charles McAdoo made a critical play, ending the inning.
In the eighth inning, the Blue Jays continued to threaten. With two outs and the bases loaded, Schlitter needed a stroke of luck. He found it when McAdoo snagged a line drive to quell the threat.
In the ninth, David Bednar struck out, handing the Yankees (42-27) a significant win north of the border.
Earlier in the game, Schlitter escaped a tight situation in the second inning after loading the bases with two outs, only to have Andres Jimenez ground out. The Blue Jays took an early lead in the third, courtesy of Kazuma Okamoto hitting a home run on a high sinker from Schlitter during a critical 0-2 count.
But the Yankees responded almost immediately. Activated from the IL just hours before the game, Dominguez made an instant impact, sending a splitter from Gausman into the right-field stands after a challenging eight-pitch at-bat, giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Schlitter held firm through the next two innings, but the game remained knotted at 1-1. In the fourth, Blue Jays had runners on second and third, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. executed a key diving catch, allowing Schlitter to escape unscathed.
The pressure mounted in the fifth as Schlitter lost his command, putting two runners on base with no outs. Yet, he managed to force a double play before striking out Jesus Sanchez with a fastball clocked at 99 mph.
With another double play to finish the sixth, Schlitter maintained a manageable pitch count, setting the stage for a strong seventh inning, which concluded with an impressive strikeout against Rooks.
