NEW YORK — Coming into the season, the Yankees plugged some holes with players who needed a rebound after losing most of the last two seasons to injuries. Saturday, Corey Kluber gave the Yankees four solid innings and Jay Bruce delivered the knockout punch with a two-run single as the Yankees beat the Blue Jays, 5-3, at Yankee Stadium.
It was the Yanks’ (1-1) first win of the young season.
For his second straight game, Gary Sanchez homered. Hitting in the seventh spot again, the catcher ripped an 88-mph slider into the left-field seats for a solo homer that broke up a 1-1 tie and started a two-run fourth inning. Bruce, who turned 34 on Saturday, got his first hit as a Yankee. His single with the bases loaded in the sixth drove in two to give the Bombers a 5-2 lead.
Kluber, who had not pitched four innings in the big leagues since May 1, 2019, had to work out of jams in the first, third and fourth innings. He got through four and gave up a home run to Marcus Semien, the first batter he faced in the fifth. He allowed two runs, though only one was earned because of a Sanchez throwing error. His command was spotty, walking three and hitting Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. He struck out five.
The 34-year-old needed 74 pitches to get through four plus one batter.
Aaron Hicks, who started 0 for 6 with five strikeouts, singled in Clint Frazier for the other run that inning.
DJ LeMahieu, who had driven in the first run in the second inning, had two singles. Gio Urshela, who was struggling at the plate this spring, had his first two hits of the year and made an aggressive play in the field to start one of the Yankees two double plays.
Lucas Luetge, who made his first appearance in the big leagues since 2015, allowed a run. He gave up a one hit, threw two wild pitches and struck out one. Darren O’Day got stung by two bloop singles, but then coaxed two flyouts before turning it over to Chad Green for a four-out save.
