Justin Turner broke the tie with a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his fifth home run in six games to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.
Turner had a strong game, going 3 for 4 with three singles, marking his sixth three-hit game. His line drive against right-hander Jason Adam (4-2) in the eighth inning drove in George Springer from second base and sparked a four-run rally for the Blue Jays.
“That inning kind of got away from us,” Rays manager Kevin Cash commented. Daulton Varsho followed with an RBI single, and Turner scored on a passed ball by catcher Ben Rortvedt.
Alejandro Kirk then hit a high pop-up that Rays shortstop Taylor Walls missed, resulting in an error that allowed Varsho to score. The Blue Jays have a record of 38-6 when they score five or more runs in a game.
Guerrero has been on a hot streak, batting .351 with nine doubles, 10 home runs, and 31 RBIs in his last 24 games.
“We all know what he’s capable of right now,” Cash said, explaining his decision to intentionally walk Guerrero in the eighth inning.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider attributed Guerrero’s recent success to his improved plate discipline.
“Every time he steps up to bat, he poses a real threat,” Schneider said. “He’s learning to focus on pitches he can really drive.”
Varsho also contributed defensively with another impressive catch, leaping against the left-field wall to retire José Caballero and leave a runner stranded at third in the fifth inning.
Left-hander Génesis Cabrera (3-2) pitched one inning for the win, while Yimi García closed the game for the Blue Jays.
Guerrero drove in Spencer Horwitz with a single off Rays right-hander Zach Eflin in the first inning and extended Toronto’s lead with a two-out home run in the third inning, his 18th of the season.
