Soto, Torres hit HRs, Judge drives in 2 as the Yankees rout Blue Jays 16-5 to halt 4-game skid

New York Yankees' Juan Soto celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — Juan Soto hit a three-run home run, Gleyber Torres added a two-run homer in his return to the lineup and the New York Yankees snapped a season-worst four-game losing streak with a 16-5 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

New York Yankees Juan Soto celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Aaron Judge had three hits and drove in a pair for the Yankees, who banged out 18 hits and scored a season high in runs.

“It’s always great to have a night like that,” Soto said.

New York scored seven runs on eight hits against two Toronto pitchers in the ninth inning. Yankees DH Jahmai Jones had two of his three hits in the inning.

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge scores next to Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen on an RBI double by J.D. Davis during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Torres went 2 for 4 with three RBIs after being benched by manager Aaron Boone the past two games.

“Hopefully a little building block for him,” Boone said.

New York Yankees Aaron Judge is congratulated after scoring on a double by J.D. Davis against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman yelled in frustration at second baseman Torres after New York failed to turn a double play in the fifth, leading to a run.

New York Yankees Aaron Judge hits a single in front of Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

“It was frustrating,” Stroman said. “I felt like I made a good pitch. That was a big spot. I wanted to have that turned there and we didn’t.”

Stroman said he spoke to Torres afterward to clear the air. The pitcher also acknowledged “losing my cool” in a social media post.

Boone said he didn’t see Stroman’s outburst as divisive.

“No issue with where Stro’s mind, heart, and focus is,” Boone said. “Sometimes when you’re competing like heck, it spills over a little bit. There’s no issues in that room with anything.”

Stroman was the first Yankees player out of the dugout after Torres homered in the sixth.

“He’s always a guy who supports everybody,” Torres said.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays, who had their two-game winning streak halted.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi reacts after giving up a single to New York Yankees' Aaron Judge during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto’s George Springer hit an RBI single in the first and drove in a run in the fifth when he was hit by a pitch on the left hand by Michael Tonkin with the bases loaded. Davis Schneider pinch-hit for Springer in the seventh. The Blue Jays said Springer did not have a fracture.

New York Yankees Juan Soto celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Tonkin (3-3) pitched 1 2/3 innings and earned the win.

The Blue Jays scored twice in the fifth inning to break a 1-all tie and chase Stroman. But Toronto failed to take full advantage of a bases-loaded, one-out situation. Guerrero was tagged out at home plate by a diving Jose Trevino while trying to score on a wild pitch, and Daulton Varsho struck out, stranding a pair of runners.

New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) slides safe into home as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen (9) fails to make the tag during fourth inning American League MLB baseball action in Toronto, Friday, June 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

“We beat ourselves in some areas that we’re trying to do a little bit too much,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.

After Jones and Anthony Volpe singled to open the sixth, Soto chased left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (4-8) with a 396-foot drive off the second deck in right for his 20th homer of the season.

Judge singled off reliever Nate Pearson and scored on J.D. Davis’ double. Torres followed with a drive to left, his eighth of the season.

Kiner-Falefa hit his seventh homer of the season off Tonkin in the sixth. Guerrero added his 12th homer of the season off Luke Weaver in the seventh. Guerrero has homered five times in seven games.

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is tagged out at home by New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York’s DJ LeMahieu hit an RBI double in the eighth, his first extra-base hit of the season.

Stroman allowed three runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Kikuchi gave up four runs and four hits in five-plus innings.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi reacts during the second inning of the team's baseball game against the New York Yankees on Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Boone said Giancarlo Stanton (left hamstring) ran on a treadmill Thursday.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (6-6, 3.45 ERA) is scheduled to start against Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes (4-6, 3.40) on Saturday afternoon.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a two-run single in front of Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays first base Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts after New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo hit an RBI double during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees Aaron Judge (99) and Juan Soto celebrate the team's win over Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees Juan Soto looks into the crowd as he heads back to the dugout at the end of eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees outfielders Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo and Aaron Judge, from left, look into the crowd as they head back to the dugout at the end of eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees Aaron Judge is congratulated in the dugout after scoring against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)