NEW YORK — Domingo German cruised through six innings of three-hit ball, Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run double and the New York Yankees kicked off the second half with a 4-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

New York has won 17 of 21 and boasts the American League’s best record at 58-31.

German (11-2) threw just 78 pitches – 54 for strikes – and retired 15 in a row following Eric Sogard’s leadoff hit. The team leader in wins, he limited Toronto to three singles and did not walk a batter.

In front of the largest crowd at Yankee Stadium this season – 47,162 – the game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when Brett Gardner tripled against Aaron Sanchez (3-13). All-Star DJ LeMahieu’s groundout scored the speedy veteran.

New York then loaded the bases on two hits and a hit batter before Encarnacion lined a double off the visiting bullpen wall.

RAYS 16, ORIOLES 4: Tampa Bay emerged from the All-Star break by scoring seven runs in the first inning and got homers from Tommy Pham and Nate Lowe in a rout at error-prone Baltimore.

Tampa Bay resumed its pursuit of the Yankees in the AL East by reaching season highs in runs and hits (20).

Lowe led the charge with a career-high four hits and three RBI. Kevin Kiermaier had three hits, scored three runs and drove in two.

TWINS 5, INDIANS 3: Minnesota slowed Cleveland’s charge in the AL Central, as Jorge Polanco’s two-run double in the seventh inning rallied the first-place Twins to a win at home, ending the Indians’ six-game winning streak.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NATIONALS 4, PHILLIES 0: Stephen Strasburg struck out six in six innings, Victor Robles hit a two-run single and Washington won at Philadelphia.

Strasburg (11-4) allowed seven hits and walked one, continuing his dominance over the Phillies. He’s 13-2 against them, 6-0 in Philadelphia.

CUBS 4, PIRATES 3: Jason Heyward hit a tie-breaking RBI single with two outs in the eighth inning, and Chicago won at home.

Kris Bryant set up Heyward’s winning hit with a one-out walk off Kyle Crick (3-5). The All-Star slugger advanced on Victor Caratini’s two-out walk and then hustled home on Heyward’s crisp opposite-field hit to left, sliding home just ahead of the tag by catcher Elias Diaz.

Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth for his third save in four chances.

MARLINS 8, METS 4: Garrett Cooper, Curtis Granderson and Brian Anderson all homered and drove in two runs to power Miami to a victory over visiting New York.

The Marlins beat the Mets for the fourth straight time.

NOTES

INDIANS: Corey Kluber’s broken right arm is healing as hoped, and he could begin throwing bullpen sessions soon.

Kluber was struck by a line drive on May 1 in Miami. Indians Manager Terry Francona said the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner had a “good checkup” and doctors are now determining when the right-hander can pitch off a mound.

Asked if it could be within weeks, Francona said: “That’s probably a decent guess, estimation.”

BREWERS: Milwaukee signed veteran right-hander Shelby Miller to a minor league contract.

Miller, 28, was released by Texas on July 4 after going 1-3 with an 8.59 ERA in 19 appearances, including eight starts. In 44 innings, he gave up 58 hits and 29 walks.

ASTROS: All-Star infielder Alex Bregman is out of Houston’s starting lineup a night after a groundball took a nasty hop and hit him in the chin.

Astros Manager AJ Hinch said Bregman, who needed four stitches, has been evaluated a couple times since getting hit and is doing OK and begging to play.

PADRES: San Diego placed catcher Austin Hedges and left-hander Eric Lauer on the bereavement list, and traded reliever Phil Maton to Cleveland for international bonus pool money.

FORMER METS pitcher Dwight Gooden, 54, has been charged with drug possession in New Jersey after two baggies allegedly containing cocaine were found in his car during a traffic stop last month.

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