Cliff Johnson smashed three homers, including two during an eight-run explosion in the eighth inning, as the Yankees defeated the Blue Jays, 11-5. Johnson hit his first homer in the fourth and Doug Rader rapped one for the Blue Jays in the fifth. The Yankees, holding a lead of only 2-1, then broke the game apart in the eighth with an outburst that included four homers.

Johnson and Lou Piniella each hit for the circuit to ignite the fireworks. Graig Nettles, Bucky Dent and Mickey Rivers singled, Nettles scoring. Thurman Munson followed with a three-run homer. Chris Chambliss then doubled and Johnson climaxed the stanza with his second homer of the inning and third of the game. [The Sporting News]

New York Yankees 11, Toronto Blue Jays 5

Game Played on Thursday, June 30, 1977 (Night game) at Exhibition Stadium

Yankees      0  0  1    1  0  0    0  8  1  -  11 15  2
Blue Jays    0  0  0    0  1  0    0  3  1  -   5  7  2


Yankees              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Blue Jays            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Randolph 2b           4   2   2   1     1   0   .291      Bailor ss             4   0   0   0     0   0   .324
Rivers cf             6   1   3   1     0   0   .327      Ewing rf              4   0   1   2     0   0   .300
Munson c              4   1   1   4     0   0   .319      A. Woods lf           4   0   2   0     0   0   .313
Chambliss 1b          5   1   1   0     0   1   .295      Fairly 1b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .319
Johnson dh            3   3   3   4     1   0   .300      Rader 3b              4   1   1   1     0   2   .257
Jackson rf            5   0   0   0     0   4   .277      Velez dh              3   1   1   0     1   0   .270
Piniella lf           5   2   3   1     0   0   .327      Scott cf              4   0   1   1     0   0   .230
Nettles 3b            4   1   1   0     1   1   .214      Torres 2b             2   1   0   0     0   0   .217
Dent ss               3   0   1   0     2   0   .262        Whitt ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .214
Hunter p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ashby c               3   1   0   0     1   0   .193
                                                          Garvin p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Johnson p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            DeBarr p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               39  11  15  11     5   6             Totals               33   5   7   4     2   2

Time of Game: 2:28   Attendance: 33,283
Left on Base: Yankees 9, Blue Jays 4
DP: Yankees 0, Blue Jays 0
Errors: Chambliss, Jackson, Torres, Ashby
Doubles: Randolph (14), Piniella (7), Rivers (8), Chambliss (15), Scott (6)
Home Runs: Johnson 3 (4), Piniella (3), Munson (11), Rader (3)
Caught Stealing: A. Woods (4), Fairly (3)
Sacrifice Flies: Munson (2), Randolph (4)
Hit by Pitch: Johnson (1,by Garvin), Torres (1,by Hunter)


Yankees                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hunter W(4-3)           9     7   5   3   2   2   1  36   5.37
Totals                  9     7   5   3   2   2   1  36

Blue Jays              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Garvin L(7-7)           7.1   8   5   5   5   4   3  35   3.84
Johnson                 0.1   5   5   5   0   0   2   6   4.09
DeBarr                  1.1   2   1   1   0   2   0   6   4.22
Totals                  9    15  11  11   5   6   5  47

Hit by Pitch: Hunter (2), Garvin (2)
Wild Pitches: DeBarr (1)

Umpires: HP - Russ Goetz, 1B - George Maloney, 2B - Terry Cooney, 3B - Greg Kosc


YANKEES 1ST: Randolph doubled to left; Rivers reached on a
fielder's choice [Randolph out at third (pitcher to shortstop)];
Munson made an out to second; Chambliss forced Rivers (shortstop
to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 0, Blue Jays 0.

BLUE JAYS 1ST: Bailor flied out to center; Ewing flied out to
left; A. Woods singled to right; Fairly made an out to second; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 0, Blue Jays 0.

YANKEES 2ND: Johnson was hit by a pitch; Jackson struck out;
Piniella forced Johnson (shortstop to second); Nettles grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 0, Blue
Jays 0.

BLUE JAYS 2ND: Rader made an out to third; Velez grounded out
(third to first); Scott flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Yankees 0, Blue Jays 0.

YANKEES 3RD: Dent made an out to second; Randolph walked; Rivers
singled to right [Randolph to third]; Munson hit a sacrifice fly
to right [Randolph scored]; Chambliss flied out to right; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Blue Jays 0.

BLUE JAYS 3RD: Torres grounded out (shortstop to first); Ashby
flied out to left; Bailor flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Yankees 1, Blue Jays 0.

YANKEES 4TH: Johnson homered; Jackson struck out; Piniella
doubled to right; Nettles reached on a fielder's choice
[Piniella out at third (pitcher to third to shortstop)]; Dent
walked [Nettles to second]; Randolph forced Dent (shortstop to
second); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 2, Blue Jays 0.

BLUE JAYS 4TH: Ewing grounded out (shortstop to first); A. Woods
flied out to center; Fairly flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Yankees 2, Blue Jays 0.

YANKEES 5TH: Rivers doubled to left [Rivers out at third (left
to third)]; Munson grounded out (shortstop to first); Chambliss
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 2, Blue Jays 0.

BLUE JAYS 5TH: Rader homered; Velez made an out to second; Scott
flied out to center; Torres flied out to center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Yankees 2, Blue Jays 1.

YANKEES 6TH: Ashby dropped a foul fly hit by Johnson for an
error; Johnson walked; Jackson struck out; Piniella made an out
to first; Nettles walked [Johnson to second]; Dent walked
[Johnson to third, Nettles to second]; Randolph flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Yankees 2, Blue Jays 1.

BLUE JAYS 6TH: Ashby flied out to right; Bailor flied out to
center; Ewing grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Yankees 2, Blue Jays 1.

YANKEES 7TH: Rivers flied out to right; Munson flied out to
center; Chambliss flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Yankees 2, Blue Jays 1.

BLUE JAYS 7TH: A. Woods singled to left; A. Woods was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Fairly singled to
second; Fairly was caught stealing second (catcher to second);
Rader struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 2, Blue Jays 1.

YANKEES 8TH: Johnson homered; Jackson grounded out (pitcher to
first); Piniella homered; Nettles singled to right; JOHNSON
REPLACED GARVIN (PITCHING); Dent flied out to center; Randolph
singled to second [Nettles to third (error by Torres)]; Rivers
singled to center [Nettles scored, Randolph to third]; Munson
homered [Randolph scored, Rivers scored]; Chambliss doubled to
left; Johnson homered [Chambliss scored]; DEBARR REPLACED
JOHNSON (PITCHING); Jackson struck out; 8 R, 8 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.
Yankees 10, Blue Jays 1.

BLUE JAYS 8TH: Velez walked; Scott made an out to shortstop;
Torres was hit by a pitch [Velez to second]; Ashby walked [Velez
to third, Torres to second]; Bailor popped to catcher in foul
territory; Ewing singled to right [Velez scored, Torres scored,
Ashby scored (error by Jackson) (unearned), Ewing to third]; A.
Woods flied out to center; 3 R (2 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees
10, Blue Jays 4.

YANKEES 9TH: Piniella singled to center; DeBarr threw a wild
pitch [Piniella to second]; Nettles struck out; Dent singled to
shortstop [Piniella to third]; Randolph hit a sacrifice fly to
center [Piniella scored]; Rivers flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 11, Blue Jays 4.

BLUE JAYS 9TH: Fairly reached on an error by Chambliss; Rader
struck out; Velez singled to left [Fairly to second]; Scott
doubled to left [Fairly scored (unearned), Velez to third];
WHITT BATTED FOR TORRES; Whitt grounded out (catcher to first);
Ashby grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2
LOB.  Yankees 11, Blue Jays 5.

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