Daulton Varsho hit a three-run home run and had a career-best five RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Chicago Cubs 11-4 on Sunday afternoon.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added two RBI singles for the Blue Jays, who ended their three-game losing streak. Whit Merrifield had four hits, drove in a run and stole a base for Toronto.
Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run home run for the Cubs, who won the first two games of the three-game series. Dansby Swanson added a two-run double for Chicago.
Toronto left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu (1-1) allowed two unearned runs, two hits and two walks in five innings. It was his third start after coming back from elbow surgery.
Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (7-7) allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks in three-plus innings.
The Cubs scored twice in the first inning. Nico Hoerner walked with one out and moved to second when first baseman Brandon Belt committed an error on Ian Happ’s grounder. Swanson hit a two-out, two-run double down the left-field line.
Toronto took a 5-2 lead in the second. Cavan Biggio led off with an infield hit. Danny Jansen was hit by a pitch and Varsho hit his 14th homer of the season, a blast to right. Merrifield singled and stole second. Belt walked and Guerrero and George Springer had RBI singles.
Toronto took an 8-2 lead in the fourth. Merrifield, Belt and Guerrero hit consecutive singles to score one run. Cubs right-hander Hayden Wesneski replaced Taillon. He walked Springer and allowed Varsho’s two-out, two-run single.
Genesis Cabrera replaced Ryu and pitched a perfect sixth.
In the seventh, Jay Jackson allowed Swanson’s single and Wisdom’s 20th homer, a drive to center field.
Erik Swanson pitched a perfect eighth for Toronto.
Caleb Kilian hit Biggo and Jansen with pitches in the eighth. He then allowed RBI singles to Santiago Espinal and Paul DeJong and an RBI double to Merrifield.
Nate Pearson pitched around a walk and a single in the ninth.
Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman (right middle finger inflammation) was a late scratch from the lineup.
–Field Level Media
