Alejandro Kirk homered twice, including a grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays clinched the American League East Sunday with a 13-4 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays.
Kirk also doubled and had six RBIs to help the Blue Jays (94-68) to their fourth straight win and their first division title since 2015.
Addison Barger and George Springer added two-run homers.
Jonathan Aranda had two hits and three RBIs for the Rays (77-85) in their final game of the season. Richie Palacios added three hits.
The Blue Jays entered Sunday tied for first in the AL East with the New York Yankees, but holding the tiebreaker. It proved to be a win Toronto needed as the Yankees defeated Baltimore 3-2.
With the win, Toronto earns the No. 1 seed in the AL and a first-round bye to the ALDS while New York is the No. 4 seed and hosts the Boston Red Sox for a best-of-three wild-card series starting Tuesday.
The Rays scored once in the first against Kevin Gausman. Palacios singled to left, stole second, took third on Junior Caminero’s groundout and scored on Aranda’s single to center.
The Blue Jays responded with five in the home first against Ian Seymour (4-3). Springer and Davis Schneider walked, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit an RBI single to right, Daulton Varsho singled to center and Kirk hit a 2-2 changeup to left for his first career grand slam.
The Rays scored three in the third. Bob Seymour walked, then Palacios and Caminero singled to load the bases. Aranda followed with a two-run single to right. Caminero was out at home on Josh Lowe’s grounder to first before Jake Mangum stroked an RBI single to center to cut the deficit to 5-4.
The Rays loaded the bases in the fourth on two singles and a walk. Mason Fluharty (5-2) replaced Gausman with two out and struck out Aranda.
Gausman allowed four runs, eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
Ernie Clement and Springer singled in the home fourth, leaving runners at the corners for Edwin Uceta who replaced Seymour. Pinch hitter Andres Gimenez hit a sacrifice fly to right.
Seymour allowed six runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out seven in 3 1/3 innings.
Toronto regained its four-run lead in the fifth against Uceta. Anthony Santander walked and scored on Kirk’s 15th homer of the season, a blast to center.
The Blue Jays put the game away with a five-run seventh inning. Varsho singled and Barger hit his 21st homer against Kevin Kelly. Clement walked and Myles Straw tripled to bring him home. Bryan Baker replaced Kelly and yielded Springer’s 32nd homer.
–Field Level Media
