Ernie Clement’s single in the ninth inning lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night, ending the Rangers’ five-game winning streak.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base four times, helping the Blue Jays break a six-game losing streak against the Rangers.
In the ninth, Justin Turner hit a one-out single off Josh Sborz (2-1) and was replaced by Steward Berroa, who stole second base. Sborz then walked Guerrero, and Kirby Yates came in to strike out Danny Jansen for the second out. Spencer Horwitz was intentionally walked to load the bases for Clement, who drove in the winning run with a single to left on the first pitch.
“I knew he was going to try to throw a strike so I was on go from pitch one,” Clement said. “I got a pitch up in the zone and put a good swing on it.”
This was Clement’s first major league game-winning hit and Toronto’s third game-ending hit this season.
“Unfortunately I didn’t make a good pitch and we lost the game because of it,” Yates said. “You want it somewhere where he can’t hit it, preferably down. It wasn’t down, it was up.”
Yates had not lost since June 18 against the Mets.
“Kirby has done a great job,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s always a tough spot when you come in first and second, one out.”
Chad Green (3-2) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of work.
Adolis García hit a home run and drove in three runs for Texas. His homer in the fifth inning, which bounced off the top of the right field wall and hit the foul screen, gave the Rangers a 5-4 lead. It was García’s 18th home run of the season.
Toronto tied the game in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly from Jansen that scored a run. Jacob Latz came in to face Horwitz and kept the game tied when Horwitz lined out and Turner was doubled off second base.
García started the scoring with a two-out RBI single in the first inning off Yusei Kikuchi, driving in Marcus Semien.
