Goldschmidt's ninth-inning homer gives Yankees 3-1 win

Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning on Saturday afternoon, lifting the New York Yankees to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The decisive blast off Blue Jays closer Louis Varland spoiled a masterful pitching duel between Toronto's Kevin Gausman and New York's Cam Schlittler and gave the Yankees a split of the first two games of their three-game series.

Varland, who entered the game with a 3-2 record, allowed a bloop single to Cody Bellinger to open the ninth inning. Goldschmidt then smashed an 0-1 knuckle curve to left field for his ninth home run of the season, marking the first homer Varland has surrendered this year. Yankees reliever David Bednar struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure his 14th save. Fernando Cruz earned the win despite walking the bases loaded in the eighth inning and escaping unscathed.

The game was defined by the starting pitchers. Gausman delivered a season-high 105 pitches over seven innings, allowing just one hit-a solo home run to Jasson Dominguez in the fourth inning-while striking out seven and walking two. Schlittler, the American League leader in earned run average at 1.82, matched...