Higashioka, LeMahieu Go Off as Yankees Bomb Blue Jays

 Yankees 13 - Blue Jays 2 

Remember when the Yankees were a .500 team and couldn't get out of their own way? Well that was so last week. Behind big nights from catcher Kyle Higashioka and second baseman DJ LeMahieu, the Yankees pounded the Toronto Blue Jays 13-2 for the Bombers seventh straight victory.

Once on the precipise of potentially not making the playoffs, the Yankees are looking like the Yankees again. They dominated the Orioles in a weekend sweep, and have scored a combined 33 runs in their last two games against Toronto, including Tuesday night's 20-6 thrashing of the Blue Jays.

On Wednesday, Higashioka went yard three times, while LeMahieu hit a pair of homers in the victory. Even Luke Voit and Clint Fraizer got into the action. 

Most of the power came in succession early and often. LeMahieu got things started with a lead-off homer in the bottom the first, before Higashioka corked a two-run blast in the bottom of the third to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. 

In the bottom of the fourth the Yankees power surge continued with a solo homer by Fraizer and a two-run shot by LeMahieu to stake the Yankees to a 6-0 advantage. 

All the homers went to the good of ace starter Gerrit Cole who dominated the Jays. Over seven innings, Cole stymied the Blue Jays, holding them to just a run on three hits, while walking two and striking out eight. Cole is now 6-3 on the year with a 3.00 ERA. 

As for Higashioka, he would add two more homers late in the contest, a solo shot to left in the sixth, and a two-run job in the eighth. Both homers sandwiched a solo shot by Voit as the Yankees offense exploded for 13 runs. 

NOTES: Aaron Judge made his return to the lineup after missing three weeks with a strained right calf. He last played August 26. Judge went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his return. 

While Judge made his return to the Yankees, the Bombers did place starter James Paxton on the 45-day Injury List, ending his season. He has not pitched in a game since August 20 when he suffered a strained right flexor tendon in his shoulder. He is a free agent, and likely won't return to the Yankees in 2021.