Jays Triumph, Vladdy Injured
Blue Jays Beat Yankees 3-1 as Kirk Shines; Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Injured in Collision
The Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 3-1 on Friday night, with catcher Alejandro Kirk delivering the key blows — a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole and a two-out homer in the eighth inning. The win was tempered by concern over star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who left the game after a collision at third base, according to AP News.
Shane Bieber was sharp on the mound, pitching six solid innings to earn his fourth win in six starts. The Blue Jays handed the Yankees a loss despite Cole's strong outing on the other side, per Fox Sports.
Kirk's Double and Homer Sink Cole and the Yankees
Kirk finished 2-for-3 with a walk, doing his biggest damage against two different pitchers. He ripped a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole in an earlier inning, then went deep off reliever Bradley Hanner in the eighth. The two-RBI night made Kirk the offensive star of the game, according to AP News.
Cole was not bad — he allowed just two runs and five hits over six innings. It was his third straight start without a loss. But Kirk's double proved to be the difference, giving Toronto the lead for good, per Yahoo Sports.
Bieber Continues His Quietly Strong 2025 Run
Shane Bieber has been one of the steadier starters in baseball lately. He is now 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA over his last six outings. On Friday, he worked six innings and kept the Yankees offense mostly quiet, giving Toronto's bullpen an easy path to the finish, according to AP News.
The Blue Jays' bullpen closed it out after Bieber's exit. Toronto's pitching staff held New York to just one run, keeping the game firmly in the Jays' control from the middle innings on, per Fox Sports.
Guerrero Jr. Hurt After Collision at Third Base
The night's biggest concern came when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left the game after colliding with Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. on a play at third base. The nature and severity of Guerrero's injury were not immediately clear, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
Guerrero is one of Toronto's most important players. His status going forward will be closely watched. Any significant time on the injured list would be a major blow for a Blue Jays team trying to stay in the playoff race, per Yahoo Sports.
Yankees Drop Game Despite Cole's Solid Effort
For New York, the loss was frustrating given how well Cole pitched. He gave the Yankees a chance to win, limiting Toronto to two runs through six innings. But the offense could not back him up, managing just one run against Bieber and the Blue Jays' bullpen, per WRAL.
Yankees rookie George Lombard Jr. was at the center of the Guerrero collision play. Beyond that moment, New York's lineup was largely kept in check all night. The Yankees will look to bounce back in the next game of the series, according to Las Vegas Sun.
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