George Springer homers twice, Blue Jays sweep Yankees to take AL East lead

TORONTO (AP) — George Springer hit two two-run home runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 8-5 on Thursday night to complete a four-game sweep and take sole possession of the AL East lead.

Addison Barger had a solo homer among his three hits for Toronto.

New York slugger Aaron Judge drew his 23rd intentional walk in the eighth, matching Mickey Mantle’s 1957 team record.

Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt left after three innings because of tightness in his forearm. Schmidt allowed three runs and four hits.

Jasson Domínguez had four hits for New York, but the Yankees were swept for the second time. They lost all three at Boston between June 13 and 15.

New York is 10-16 against AL East opponents.

Chris Bassitt (8-4) struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings, improving to 4-0 in five career home starts against the Yankees. Jeff Hoffman finished for his 21st save in 25 chances.

Springer went 3 for 4 with four RBIs and scored three times. The homers were his 14th and 15th.

Barger and Nathan Lukes each had three hits and two RBIs as Toronto won for the 11th time in 16 and jumped one game ahead of New York.

New York’s Trent Grisham homered in his return to the starting lineup, his 16th. Grisham left Monday’s game and did not play Tuesday because of a tight left hamstring. He pinch hit Wednesday.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette grounded out as a pinch hitter in the seventh. He missed the previous three games because of a sore right knee.

Lukes ended a 14-pitch at bat in the fourth inning with a tiebreaking two-run double off Clayton Beeter (0-1).

Bassitt threw a season-high 113 pitches.

Yankees: RHP Marcus Stroman (1-1, 8.16 ERA) was scheduled to start Friday in the opener of the weekend Subway Series. The Mets had not announced a starter.

Blue Jays: LHP Eric Lauer (4-1, 2.60 ERA) was scheduled to face Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.66) on Friday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger (47) celebrates after his solo home run with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., front right, during fifth-inning baseball game action against the New York Yankees in Toronto, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees' Trent Grisham (12) hits a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during third inning MLB baseball action, in Toronto on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer (4) celebrates his two-run home run against the New York Yankees during third inning MLB baseball action, in Toronto on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer (4) hits a two-run home run against the New York Yankees during third inning MLB baseball action, in Toronto on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees pitcher Clayton Beeter, left, reacts after giving up a home run to Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger (47) during fifth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)