TORONTO _ All hope is virtually gone for a postseason bid, but the Yankees kept the fight going in other ways.
The benches cleared twice Monday night at Rogers Centre, where the Yankees stung the Blue Jays with two ninth-inning home runs and avoided a four-game sweep.
Mark Teixeira's game-tying solo shot was followed shortly by Aaron Hicks' two-run blast _ both off Seton Hall alum Jason Grilli _ sending the Yankees to a 7-5 win before 44,532 fans. But a critical 11-game road trip still ended in shambles for the Yankees, who went 3-8 and took home a few more lumps.
Luis Severino was ejected for drilling Justin Smoak in the home second inning, a retaliatory move for Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ's early fastball into Chase Headley's hip.
But Severino's actions started the more intense second bench-clearer Monday night.
In all, the Yankees were hit with four ejections _ Severino, manager Joe Girardi, bench coach Rob Thomson and pitching coach Larry Rothschild _ while the Jays had none.
Down 3-2 in the ninth, Teixeira _ who is retiring after the season _ stood for a long while at home plate to admire his tremendous blast to center field off the right-handed Grilli, punctuated by a soaring bat flip that came close to hitting plate umpire Todd Tichenor.
And after Hicks' go-ahead homer, the Yankees celebrated madly in the dugout, an over-the-top reaction during a five-run ninth.
Severino was making just his first start since Aug. 14, filling in for Masahiro Tanaka _ who experienced tightness in his right forearm after his last start.
Though the right-handed Severino has flourished in a relief role, pitching to an 0.39 ERA in 11 appearances, he's penciled in as a starter for 2017.
"We still envision him as a starter," Girardi said before the game, though Severino was 0-8 with an 8.58 ERA over his first nine starts this year, all Yankees losses.
On Monday night, Girardi was just hoping to get three innings _ around 50 pitches _ out of Severino before handing it off to the bullpen. But the carousel of relievers spun a little earlier than expected.
After retiring the first batter he faced, Severino nicked Josh Donaldson on the left elbow pad _ something that didn't seem to be all that eventful at the time.
Following Edwin Encarnacion's single, a wild Severino walked both Jose Bautista and Russell Martin to force in a run. But before the inning could further erupt, Severino got two quick outs.
Headley led off the second inning and saw Happ's first pitch sail behind him.
Happ's second pitch nailed Headley in the hip, after which Headley slammed his bat in anger and both benches and bullpens spilled onto the field.
This one was just a mixer, with no punches thrown, although tempers were plenty hot _ chiefly exhibited by the shouting match between Donaldson and CC Sabathia.
And Girardi, irate that Happ had two shots at Headley, was ejected then and there.
Warnings immediately were issued as well, leaving the Yankees at a disadvantage. But Severino didn't let that impediment stop him from retaliating.
Smoak led off the second inning and danced away from Severino's first inside fastball, a pitch close enough that Blue Jays manager John Gibbons walked out of his dugout seeking Severino's ejection.
One pitch later, he got it _ and more.
Severino drilled Smoak with a fastball to the right leg and the melee was on.
On-deck batter Kevin Pillar was the first to bolt toward the mound, where Severino already had tossed his cap and glove and gestured for the Blue Jays center fielder to come at him.
As players from both bullpens sprinted in, a mass of Blue Jays and Yankees congregated around home plate, some hotter than others.
Jays catcher Martin and Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez had to be separated and the Yanks' rookie Tyler Austin appeared to emerge with a bruise under his left eye, while Jays reliever Joaquin Benoit appeared shaken up.
After five minutes of pushing and shoving and yelling, Severino tried to retake the mound _ only to be told he'd been automatically ejected, along with acting manager Thomson.
And for getting his two cents in, the usually mild-mannered Rothschild was given the boot in a 1-1 game.
The Yanks had taken a 1-0 lead in the first on Sanchez's RBI groundout, scoring Brett Gardner, who led off with an infield hit and advanced to third on Martin's throwing error.
Toronto went ahead 3-1 in the third on an RBI double by Troy Tulowitzki and an RBI single by Michael Saunders, with the runs charged to Jonathan Holder.
