Okamoto and Springer homer to help the Blue Jays beat the Yankees 8-5

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Toronto Blue Jays infielder Kazuma Okamoto (7) gestures to the bullpen after hitting a two-run home run scoring Alejandro Kirk, not pictured, against the New York Yankees during first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, June 12, 2026. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk, left, is met with applause while taking his first at-bat since retuning to the lineup from the injured list during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Toronto, Friday, June 12, 2026. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) — Toronto Blue Jays infielder Kazuma Okamoto (7) gestures to the bullpen after hitting a two-run home run scoring Alejandro Kirk, not pictured, against the New York Yankees during first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, June 12, 2026. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

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10:35 PM on Friday, June 12

By IAN HARRISON

TORONTO (AP) — Kazuma Okamoto and George Springer homered, Alejandro Kirk had three hits and two RBIs in his return from injury and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 8-5 on Friday night.

Kirk went 3 for 3 with a walk after missing 62 games because of a fractured left thumb. He scored and drove in two runs.

Cody Bellinger homered for the Yankees, his 10th, but New York’s four game winning streak was snapped.

Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham left in the sixth inning because of right hamstring tightness. Grisham walked off after sliding into second base on his two-RBI hit against Mason Fluharty. Max Schuemann ran for Grisham.

Trey Yesavage (3-3) allowed four hits and five runs in five-plus innings to win for the first time in four starts. He walked six and struck out three.

Louis Varland pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 12th save in 12 chances.

Okamoto hit a 423-foot drive into the upper deck in the first, his team-leading 14th. Springer homered for the first time since May 23 with a two-out drive in the second, his sixth.

Both homers came off left-hander Ryan Weathers (2-5), who allowed a season-high six runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Weathers has given up seven home runs in his past three starts, all losses.

Okamoto became the 10th player in Blue Jays history to homer into the upper deck at Rogers Centre, which opened in 1989. No Toronto player had done it since Josh Donaldson in May 2017.

Toronto is 12-6 when hitting two or more home runs.

New York loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, with Braydon Fisher escaping by getting Ryan McMahon to fly out.

Up next

Yankees RHP Cam Schlittler (7-3, 1.87 ERA) was scheduled to start Saturday RHP Kevin Gausman (4-4, 3.60).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb