Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees during the eighth inning of Game 1 in MLB American League Division Series action in Toronto on Oct. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

By The Canadian Press

Kirk hits two solo homers to lead Blue Jays to 10-1 rout of Yankees in series opener

Oct 4, 2025 | 5:27 PM

TORONTO — Alejandro Kirk had his second straight two-homer game to power the Toronto Blue Jays to a 10-1 rout of the New York Yankees in Game 1 of their American League Division Series on Saturday.

Kirk, who drove in six runs in Toronto’s regular-season finale last Sunday, hit a solo shot in the second inning and added another in the eighth.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. opened the scoring with a solo homer off Luis Gil (0-1) in the first inning and starter Kevin Gausman (1-0) was effective over 5 2/3 frames as Toronto won its first playoff game since 2016.

Game 2 in the best-of-five series was scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre.

Gausman ran into trouble in the sixth by loading the bases with nobody out. He struck out slugger Aaron Judge before walking Cody Bellinger to make it a one-run game.

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

Ferland earns Grey Cup ring

'A wonderful human being': High school coach thrilled Logan Ferland is a Grey Cup champion

Nov 17, 2025

After getting Ben Rice on an infield fly, reliever Louis Varland came on and struck out Giancarlo Stanton.

Nathan Lukes hit a two-run double in Toronto’s four-run seventh inning. The Blue Jays piled on with four more runs in the eighth.

Toronto outhit New York 14-6.

The Yankees advanced to the ALDS on Thursday with a 4-0 win over the Boston Red Sox in the deciding game of their three-game wild-card series.

New York won the AL pennant last year before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

The Blue Jays, who have been swept in the wild-card round three times since 2020, are making their first ALDS appearance since 2016.

TAKEAWAYS

Blue Jays: Toronto wanted to get Gil’s pitch count up to tax a bullpen that was used frequently against the Red Sox. Gil’s pitch count was at 37 after just two innings and he was pulled after giving up a two-out single to Guerrero in the third.

Yankees: The powerful New York offence didn’t take advantage of its opportunities. The heart of the batting order could have turned the game in the sixth inning but didn’t deliver.

KEY MOMENT

Gausman made the imposing Judge wave at a full-count splitter for the first out of the sixth inning to the delight of the sellout crowd of 44,655.

KEY STAT

The Blue Jays had six hits in the eighth inning — including three for extra bases — to put the game away.

COMING UP

Blue Jays rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage (1-0, 3.21 earned-run average) was tabbed to start on Sunday against left-hander Max Fried (19-5, 2.86).

Yankees southpaw Carlos Rodon (18-9, 3.09) and Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (4-2, 3.57) were scheduled to start Game 3 on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2025.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press