Blue Jays erase 5-run deficit to stun Cubs

Dalton Varsho and Kazuma Okamoto both hit three-run home runs as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays scored eight straight runs to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-6 Saturday.

The Cubs jumped out to a 5-0 lead when Matt Shaw hit a three-run home run in the second and Pete Crow-Armstrong added a two-run shot in the sixth.

The Blue Jays only had one runner reach third over the first six innings, but scored three in the seventh and five in the eighth to stun the Cubs.

Varsho's blast in the seventh cut the deficit to 5-3.

The Blue Jays wasted little time taking the lead in the eighth when Miles Straw led off with a walk and George Springer singled.

The Cubs brought in closer Jacob Webb to face pinch-hitter Alejandro Kirk, but Kirk singled in Straw to cut the lead to 5-4.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with a single to center to tie the game.

Webb struck out Brandon Valenzuela, but Okamoto nailed his 16th homer to left to put the Jays up 8-5.

The Cubs loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, but could only push one run across.

Jeff Hoffman (5-4) picked up the win for the Blue Jays by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

Louis Varland earned his 16th save by shutting down the Cubs in the eighth and the ninth.

Webb (1-2) was tagged with the loss.

Cubs starter Colin Rea allowed three hits and no runs in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked none and struck out three on 78 pitches. Rea retired the first 12 Blue Jays he faced.

Blue Jays starter Patrick Corbin allowed six hits and three runs in 3 2/3 innings. The southpaw walked three and struck out four on 101 pitches.

The Cubs opened the scoring in the second when Alex Bregman and Ian Happ led off with back-to-back singles.

Shaw worked the count full and then deposited a ball into the left-field bleachers for a 3-0 lead.

Crow-Armstrong supplied a pair of insurance runs in the sixth with his 16th home run to make it 5-0.

Guerrero led off the seventh with a single, and Okamoto was hit by a pitch with one out. Varsho smashed a home run to right field to cut the lead to two.

--Field Level Media