Blue Jays blank Giants to pad AL East lead

Field Level Media|published: Fri 18th July, 22:02 2025

MLB: San Francisco Giants at Toronto Blue Jays

Jul 18, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) pitches to the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Chris Bassitt pitched a solid 6 1/3 innings, Will Wagner had a two-run double and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting San Francisco Giants 4-0 on Friday night.

Bassitt (10-4) allowed no runs, 10 hits and no walks while striking out five.

George Springer had three hits and a stolen base and Joey Loperfido added two hits and a double in the opener of a three-game series.

Heliot Ramos, Rafael Devers and Patrick Bailey each had two hits for the Giants, who outhit the Blue Jays 11-10.

It was the first game for both teams after the All-Star break. Toronto entered Friday with a two-game lead in the American League East.

The Giants had two singles in each of the first two innings against Bassitt but twice the potential rallies were blunted by double-play grounders. It set the tone for the way the game would go for Giants, who were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Toronto scored four runs in the second against Justin Verlander (0-8). Addison Barger led off with an infield single that Verlander deflected. Alejandro Kirk trickled a single through the hole at shortstop. Loperfido plated a run with a double past first base. Wagner lined a two-run double to right and Nathan Lukes grounded an RBI single to right.

San Francisco had two more singles in the third to no avail.

Verlander allowed four runs, nine hits and two walks with no strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings before Tristan Beck replaced him with runners at the corners in the third.

The Giants again had a problem converting opportunities in the sixth when they squandered Devers's leadoff double off the top of the center-field wall in the sixth.

San Francisco had consecutive one-out singles by Dominic Smith and Bailey in the seventh and Brendon Little replaced Bassitt. Little squelched the threat with two strikeouts.

Beck retired his first 10 batters before Springer singled to lead off the seventh. Beck responded with a double-play grounder and a strikeout.

Toronto's Yariel Rodriguez pitched around an infield single in the eighth.

Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth.

--Field Level Media

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