Domingo German pitched six dominant innings of three-hit ball, and Edwin Encarnacion hit a bases-clearing three-run double in the fifth inning as the New York Yankees opened the second half with a 4-0 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night in front of their largest crowd of the season.

In front of 47,162 fans and their fifth sellout crowd of the season, the Yankees won for the 17th time in their last 21 games and beat the Blue Jays for the fifth straight time.

In his second start back from a hip injury, German (11-2) allowed three singles, struck out seven -- all swinging -- walked none and threw 78 pitches. German became the fourth 11-game winner in the majors, joining Texas right-hander Lance Lynn (who has 12), Chicago White Sox All-Star Lucas Giolito and Washington's Stephen Strasburg.

German opened the game by allowing a single to Eric Sogard, then retired 15 straight before catcher Danny Jansen hit a single off shortstop Didi Gregorius' glove to start the sixth.

Two batters after Jansen's hit, Sogard singled, but German ended his latest solid outing by retiring Freddy Galvis and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

By then, the Yankees held a four-run lead thanks to a four-run fifth off Aaron Sanchez (3-13).

Encarnacion capped the inning with a booming double off the base of the left field wall that scored Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, and Gary Sanchez.

The Yankees scored their first run when Brett Gardner roped a triple to the right field corner and scored on DJ LeMahieu's hard groundout to second baseman Cavan Biggio, who made a diving stop.

New York nearly scored a fifth run in the sixth, after Gardner doubled and reached third on a throwing error by Jansen. Judge then struck out on a wild pitch by Sam Gaviglio and was originally called safe at first as Gardner crossed the plate, but the Blue Jays challenged, and the call was overturned via replay.

Sanchez allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings to lose his 12th straight decision. It is the longest streak by a Toronto pitcher since Ricky Romero dropped 13 straight decisions in 2012.

Toronto lost for the fourth time in five games and was blanked for the sixth time this season.

--Field Level Media