Right-hander Jose Berrios continued his stellar start to the season as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Colorado Rockies 5-0 on Sunday afternoon.
In his fourth start of the season, Berrios (3-0, 1.05 ERA) allowed only two hits, struck out seven, walked two and hit two batters in seven innings.
Justin Turner went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs as the Blue Jays won the rubber match of the three-game series.
Toronto is 4-2 on its current homestand, which concludes after a three-game series against the New York Yankees that begins Monday.
The Rockies fell to 1-11 in Toronto.
Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland (0-3) allowed four runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out three in five innings.
Berrios worked out of a first-inning jam after a hit batter, a walk and catcher Alejandro Kirk’s errant pickoff throw put runners at second and third with one out. Berrios got Elias Diaz to pop out in foul ground and struck out Nolan Jones to escape trouble.
Toronto went ahead in the bottom of the inning. George Springer singled to center, took second on a groundout and scored when Turner singled on a bloop to shallow right that popped out of the glove of second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who tried to make an over-the-shoulder catch.
Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the third. Kevin Kiermaier hit an infield single that Freeland deflected. He took second on Freeland’s errant pickoff throw, moved to third on a flyout and scored on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s single. With two outs, Turner hit an RBI double past third base.
Berrios pitched around a leadoff walk and a hit batter in the fifth.
Toronto added a run in the fifth. Springer singled, stole second and scored on Turner’s two-out single to center.
Rockies reliever Victor Vodnik allowed singles to Ernie Clement and Kirk to open the Toronto sixth. The potential rally was blunted when catcher Jacob Stallings picked off Clement at third base.
Genesis Cabrera replaced Berrios and pitched a perfect eighth.
Toronto added a run in the eighth against Anthony Molina on two-out singles by Clement, Kirk and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who has a six-game hit streak.
Nate Pearson struck out the side in the ninth.
Toronto’s Bo Bichette was 0-for-4 to end a seven-game hit streak.
–Field Level Media
