Turner breaks tie, Guerrero homers for 5th time in 6 games in Blue Jays' 6-3 win over Rays

Wed, Jul 24, 2024
MLB News (AP)

TORONTO (AP) - Justin Turner hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered for the fifth time in six game, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Wednesday night.

Turner went 3 for 4 with three singles. His line drive hit off right-hander Jason Adam (4-2) in the eighth scored George Springer from second base and sparked a four-run rally.

Daulton Varsho followed with an RBI single, and Turner scored on a passed ball by catcher Ben Rortvedt.

Alejandro Kirk followed with a high pop up but the ball hit off the glove of Rays shortstop Taylor Walls and dropped for an error, allowing Varsho to score.

The Blue Jays are 38-6 when they score five or more.

Varsho added his third highlight reel catch in the past three games, leaping against the left field wall to retire Jose Caballero for the final out of the fifth and stranding a runner at third.

Left-hander Genesis Cabrera (3-2) worked one inning for the victory. Yimi Garcia finished for the Blue Jays.

Guerrero drove in Spencer Horwitz's double with a single off Rays right-hander Zach Eflin in the first inning, and doubled Toronto's lead with a two-out homer in the third, his 18th.

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Tampa Bay halved the deficit in the fifth when Randy Arozarena led off with a double and scored on Josh Lowe's single.

Blue Jays right-hander Yariel Rodriguez exited with two outs and a runner at first in the sixth. Left-hander Brendon Little came on and walked Brandon Lowe before Arozarena tied it with an RBI single.

Rodriguez allowed two runs and two hits. He walked one and struck out six.

Eflin allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rays INF Yandy Diaz remains away from the team for personal reasons. It's not known when the reigning AL batting champ will return to the lineup.

UP NEXT

RHP Chris Bassitt (8-8, 3.71 ERA) was scheduled to start for Toronto against RHP Taj Bradley (5-4, 2.63) on Thursday in the series finale.

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