Kirk does it again! Blue Jays trounce Yankees, get first postseason win in nine years

Thanks to Alejandro Kirk, the Blue Jays won their first playoff game since 2016 with a 10-1 drubbing of the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS Saturday night at Rogers Centre.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. silenced his critics with his first post-season home run in the bottom of the first inning. Kirk continued his hot streak, adding a solo home run in the second.

Starter Kevin Gausman kept Aaron Judge and the Yankees in check, throwing just 50 pitches through the first five innings. Running into some trouble in the sixth, the Yankees loaded the bases but were only muster one run as Gausman got a huge strike out of Judge before Louis Varland came on and got Giancarlo Stanton to end the frame.

That was the last real chance the Yankees had as the Jays blew it open in the seventh.

With two on and none out, shortstop Andres Gimenez lifted an RBI single to make it 3-1. Three batters later, Nathan Lukes hit a bases-loaded two-run double and Guerrero added a sacrifice fly before the inning was out.

Toronto added four more in the eighth. Kirk hit his second home run of the game, Gimenez and Lukes added to their RBI totals and Ernie Clement also got in on the action with a sac fly.

Kirk was struggling up until the final week of the season. Then, in the second-to-last game he broke out of his slump with a home run, before hitting two in game 162. With the two tonight, he now has five home runs in his last three games.

Not bad for a guy not known for his power.

Trey Yesavage takes the ball in Game 2 tomorrow. First pitch is at 4:08pm local time.