New York Yankee Aaron Judge connects for a single off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Hahn during the fifth inning of a spring training game on Tuesday in Dunedin, Fla.Chris O'Meara/The Associated Press
New York first baseman Paul Goldschmidt homered and drove in four runs, and the Toronto Blue Jays came up short in their comeback bid in an 8-7 loss to the Yankees in spring training action Tuesday.
Goldschmidt’s two-run homer off Tyler Rogers in the third put the Yankees up 4-1. He then increased the Yankees’ lead to 6-1 with a two-run double in the fifth.
Down 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Blue Jays mounted a comeback.
Carlos Mendoza started a four-run inning with an RBI single. Charles McAdoo then drove in two with a double before coming around to score on a throwing error to cut the lead to 7-5.
Jace Avina put New York up by three with a homer in the eighth, then Jays centre-fielder Jake Casey hit a two-run homer with none out in the ninth to narrow the lead to 8-7.
Yankees reliever Carson Coleman settled down to retire the next three batters and pick up the save.
Yankees starter Will Warren allowed a run on four hits and struck out four over 2 2/3 innings to get the win.
Toronto starter Grant Rogers allowed two runs on four hits over two innings and took the loss.
New York improved to 3-2. Toronto fell to 1-3 and will face the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday in Lakeland, Fla.