Inside The Pinstripes

Bo Bichette's Late Homer Burns Bombers, Snapping Yankees' Win Streak

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette hit two home runs, including a go-ahead blast off Clay Holmes, to beat the New York Yankees and end their winning streak

Max Goodman

Clay Holmes has been nothing short of amazing for the Yankees since he was acquired prior to the trade deadline. On Wednesday night, the right-hander surrendered a decisive blow.

Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette crushed a go-ahead solo home run off Holmes to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, powering Toronto to a 6-5 victory. 

It was Bichette's second home run of the game after the phenom took Yankees ace Gerrit Cole deep in the third inning. He finished the ballgame 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.

Cole wasn't his best Wednesday night, scuffling early against an aggressive Blue Jays lineup. The right-hander was tagged for five runs in the first three innings, allowing five extra-base hits in that span.

Toronto kept jumping on the right-hander's fastball. Cole said after the game that his game plan to try and establish his best pitch clashed with the Blue Jays' approach, trying to take advantage of heaters early in each count. 

As Cole settled into a groove, New York's offense battled back from an early deficit. After taking a perfect game into the fifth inning, Jose Berríos allowed two run-scoring hits to Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner. 

Aaron Judge's sacrifice fly in the sixth made it a two-run game before catcher Kyle Higashioka knotted the score with a massive two-out, two-run single to plate Joey Gallo and Gleyber Torres in the seventh.

The score would remain tied until the bottom of the eighth when Bichette pounced on a 1-0 sinker from Holmes. It traveled 399 feet, sneaking over right-center field wall at the Rogers Centre. 

Entering play on Wednesday night, Holmes had posted a 1.44 ERA over 25 appearances with New York. The Bichette blast was just his second home run allowed in a Yankees uniform. 

As much Bichette's second homer of the night was the play that ended up giving Toronto the lead, a mistake on defense a few innings prior loomed just as large. 

Leading off the fifth frame, center fielder George Springer skied a routine fly ball to shallow left field. Gallo charged in, poised to make the grab with ease, but backed off at the last second when he saw Urshela approaching from the infield. 

The two tremendous defenders watched as the ball slammed into the turf, allowing Springer to scamper into second base safely with a double. Two batters later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove his teammate home with another double. 

Springer's run was Toronto's fifth of the evening, meaning Higashioka's two-run single later in the game would've given the Bombers a late lead, changing the trajectory of this dramatic contest.

With the loss on Wednesday night, and Boston's blowout win in Baltimore, the Yankees' lead atop the American League Wild Card standings dropped to just one game. The Blue Jays also gained a game on the Yankees with their victory, trailing the Red Sox by just one game.

New York will face AL Cy Young Award front runner Robbie Ray on Thursday. Corey Kluber takes the rock for the Bombers. Considering only four games remain in the regular season, as has been the case for the last several days, both teams will treat Thursday night like their postseason lives depend on it. 

Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.

Published
Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

Home/News