Blue Jays win fourth straight, sweep struggling D-backs

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Field Level Media
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Jul 16, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (4) celebrates hitting a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning at Rogers Centre.
Jul 16, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (4) celebrates hitting a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning at Rogers Centre.
Image: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Vladimir Guerrero's sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run and Danny Jansen added a three-run double as the Toronto Blue Jays recorded a 7-5 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep

Santiago Espinal and Kevin Kiermaier both had two hits and one RBI as Toronto won its fourth straight game and eighth in its past nine. Jansen and George Springer also had two hits for the Blue Jays

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Ketel Marte had a three-run double and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had two hits and scored once for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four consecutive contests and eight of their past 10

Arizona's Tommy Henry (5-2) gave up singles to Kiermaier and Bo Bichette in the fifth inning to put runners on the corners with one out. Kevin Ginkel entered and Guerrero greeted him with the sacrifice fly to give the Blue Jays a 3-2 edge

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The Blue Jays scored four runs in the eighth. Guerrero slugged a one-out double high off the center-field fence off Scott McGough, Matt Chapman walked and Whit Merrifield singled before Jansen cleared the bases with his two-bagger into the gap in left center. Jansen scored later in the inning on Daulton Varsho's infield hit

Marte's three-run double with two outs in ninth pulled Arizona within 7-5. Erik Swanson then retired Emmanuel Rivera on a fly to center to post his second save.

Jay Jackson (2-0) retired all three batters he faced in the middle innings.

Toronto handed the Diamondbacks runs in each of the first two innings

With two outs in the first, Toronto's Yusei Kikuchi hit Gurriel with a pitch and walked Christian Walker. Kikuchi attempted to pick Gurriel off second and his throw went into center field and was bobbled by Kiermaier. Gurriel never stopped running and barely beat Kiermaier's throw home.

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In the second, Nick Ahmed doubled with two outs and stole third. After McCarthy walked, Kikuchi bounced a 1-1 slider to Marte and Ahmed scored on the wild pitch.

The Blue Jays tied the score in the bottom of the second. Espinal laced a two-out, run-scoring double and scored on Kiermaier's RBI single

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Kikuchi allowed two runs (one earned) and two hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.

Henry gave up three runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

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--Field Level Media