Blue Jays sock five home runs, hammer Reds

Field Level Media|published: Tue 20th August, 21:47 2024

Aug 20, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger (47) runs to second base on his one-run double against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

George Springer hit two of Toronto's five homers as the Blue Jays routed the visiting Cincinnati Reds 10-3 on Tuesday.

Leo Jimenez, Alejandro Kirk and Spencer Horwitz also went deep to help Toronto gain a split of the first two games of the three-game series.

Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios (12-9) pitched seven innings and allowed two runs, six hits and two walks while striking out seven.

Cincinnati right-hander Carson Spiers (4-5) was tagged for all 10 runs (nine earned), 13 hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. He fanned three.

Toronto scored once in the first. Daulton Varsho tripled on a one-out drive that center fielder TJ Friedl misplayed at the warning track and scored on Will Wagner's two-out single.

Cincinnati tied it in the second. Ty France and Jake Fraley drew two-out walks before Noelvi Marte hit an RBI single to left.

The Blue Jays regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Joey Loperfido tripled to right with one out and scored on Addison Barger's two-out double to right. Springer followed with a blast to left for a 4-1 lead.

Kirk hit his fourth homer of the season with two outs in the third, and the next batter, Horwitz, belted his seventh.

Toronto boosted the lead to 7-1 in the fourth. With two outs, Varsho was hit by a pitch, took third on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s single and scored when third baseman Marte mishandled Wagner's squibber.

Loperfido led off the fifth with a walk and Jimenez hit his third homer of the season, a shot to center. Springer delivered his 16th homer of the season, a drive to left with one out, making it 10-1 and driving Spiers from the game.

Cincinnati got a run back in the sixth when Elly De La Cruz tripled and scored on Tyler Stephenson's groundout.

Reds catcher Luke Maile took the mound in the seventh and eighth innings and retired all six batters he faced.

Spencer Steer had an RBI single in the eighth for Cincinnati, which took its fourth loss in five games.

The Reds placed infielder Jeimer Candelario (left big toe fracture) on the 10-day injured list and activated newly acquired infielder Amed Rosario.

--Field Level Media

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