Ben Rices late homer powers Yankees to series win over challenging Blue Jays

TORONTO – The Yankees went through plenty of drama at Rogers Centre last year, and in most cases, it did not end well for them.In their first trip here this season, they found the good kind of drama to come away with a series win.For the second straight day, the Yankees broke a tie in the top of the ninth with a two-run homer – this one from Ben Rice – before piling on to take the rubber game with a 8-3 win over the Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.

After Rice’s clutch moonshot, the Yankees (43-27) kept the rally going, culminating in a three-run shot from José Caballero to put the game on ice and send them home flying high off a 5-1 trip.Paul Goldschmidt, who delivered the go-ahead blast in Saturday’s win, started the ninth-inning rally on Sunday with a swinging bunt down the third base line.Blue Jays reliever Braydon Fisher tried to make a wild play and got off an ill-advised throw that ended up down the right field line allowing Goldschmidt to take second.Rice then came up and worked a full count before getting a slider on the inside corner that he clobbered for his team-leading 19th home run of the season.After walks by Jasson Domínguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr., Caballero provided breathing room by taking Tommy Nance deep as the Yankees turned the tables after going 1-8 against the Blue Jays (34-38) here last year.Anthony Volpe enjoyed a strong all-around day, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and some strong defense at shortstop, though he missed a chance to make it even better in the top of the eighth inning.

With the game tied 3-3, Chisholm walked, stole second and then took third on a balk with one out.But Max Schuemann (after an unsuccessful bunt attempt) and Volpe both struck out against Jeff Hoffman to end the threat.The bottom of the Yankees’ lineup, which at times has doubled as a black hole, came throug...