Aaron Judge hit a pair of two-run home runs, right-hander Gerrit Cole pitched nine innings and the visiting New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-0 Wednesday night.

Cole (15-4) allowed two hits -- both to Brandon Belt -- and no walks. He struck out five in his final start of the season.

Cole stamped himself as the leading contender to win the American League Cy Young Award.

It was Cole's second shutout and second complete game of the season. The other one was April 16 against the Minnesota Twins.

The Yankees have won the first two games of the three-game series after dropping two of three to Toronto last week in New York. Cole was the winning pitcher in the Yankees victory in that series.

The Yankees (81-77) were officially eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday while the Blue Jays (87-71) are clinging to an American League wild-card spot. Toronto holds the second of three wild-card positions, sitting a half-game ahead of the Astros (87-72) after Houston earned an 8-3 win at Seattle late Wednesday night.

The Mariners (85-73) are two games behind Toronto.

The Blue Jays have not scored a run in the series.

Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (11-12) allowed four runs, five hits and three walks (one intentional) with 10 strikeouts in six innings.

Toronto failed to take advantage of Belt's leadoff double in the second.

Berrios retired his first nine batters before walking DJ LeMahieu to lead off the fourth. Judge hit the first pitch to him to right for his 36th home run of the season. The Yankees added two singles before Berrios could retire the side.

The Yankees added two runs in the fifth. Ben Rortvedt singled to right. Judge was intentionally walked with one out and Gleyber Torres walked to load the bases. Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run single to left and Torres was thrown out trying to advance to third.

Trevor Richards replaced Berrios for the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff walk to Oswald Peraza. Richards struck out the next two batters before allowing Judge's high blast to left-center. It was the 37th home run of the season for Judge, who did not play Tuesday in the series opener.

After Belt's double, Cole retired 17 batters in a row before Belt singled with two out in the bottom of the seventh.

--Field Level Media