TORONTO — Chris Bassitt pitched into the seventh inning to win his second straight start, Alejandro Kirk reached base three times and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Yankees 3-1 on Monday night, handing New York consecutive losses for the first time this season.
New York (12-5) lost 8-7 at Cleveland on Sunday when the Guardians scored three runs in the 10th.
The Yankees lost a series-opening game for the second time in six tries, with both defeats coming against the Blue Jays. Toronto won 3-0 in New York’s home opener on April 5.
Bassitt (2-2) allowed one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out five, ending his outing by fanning Gleyber Torres.
Tim Mayza got two outs and former Yankees reliever Chad Green worked a 1-2-3 eighth. Yimi Garcia retired Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo on flyballs in the ninth for his second save.
Kirk walked and scored in the second and hit an RBI double in the third. His leadoff single in the sixth extended his streak of reaching base safely to seven consecutive plate appearances. Kirk went 2 for 2 with two walks Sunday against Colorado.
Kirk’s streak ended in the eighth with a fly to center against Dennis Santana.
New York’s Oswaldo Cabrera opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second, but the Blue Jays used a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch to reply with two runs in the bottom half against right-hander Luis Gil.
Kirk’s two-out RBI double in the fourth extended Toronto’s lead.
Gil (0-1) allowed three runs and three hits in five innings. He struck out six and matched a career high with seven walks.
Toronto was also the opponent when Gil last walked seven, doing so in 3 1/3 innings on Sept. 9, 2021.
Judge started at designated hitter for the Yankees with Soto in right field and Trent Grisham in center.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: Manager Aaron Boone said RHP Gerrit Cole (elbow inflammation) had the day off after throwing on flat ground from 60 feet Sunday. Cole is scheduled to throw again Tuesday. “He’s upped the volume a little bit already but I think he gets out to 75 (feet) and beyond moving forward,” Boone said.
Blue Jays: Toronto activated C Danny Jansen (broken right wrist) off the 10-day injured list and optioned C Brian Serven to Triple-A Buffalo.
UP NEXT
Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón (1-0, 1.72 ERA) starts Tuesday night against Toronto LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 2.30).
