TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen each hit two-run homers, José Berríos pitched six innings to win for the third time in four starts and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 7-3 on Saturday.
Guerrero connected north of the border for the second time in two days after going 32 games at home this season without clearing the fence. He reached base four times and drove in three runs.
It’s the third time this season and the 18th time in his career that Guerrero has homered in consecutive games.
“I’m feeling good, obviously a lot better than two weeks ago, but it doesn’t matter,” Guerrero said through a translator. “We’ve got to stay working and hopefully I continue to get better.”
Guerrero is batting .282 and leads the Blue Jays with 48 RBIs.
Oakland infielder Tony Kemp was knocked off balance when he tried to field Guerrero’s infield single in the eighth. It was one of three balls Guerrero hit Saturday with an exit velocity of 100 mph or more. His home run had a game-high exit velocity of 112.4 mph.
After winning Friday to snap an eight-game losing streak, the Athletics lost for the ninth time in 10 games. Oakland has the majors’ worst record at 20-59.
Other than a seven-game winning streak from June 6 to 13, the Athletics have only won back-to-back games twice this season.
“Obviously it’s not the best news to lose but, unfortunately, it’s baseball,” Oakland left-hander Hogan Harris said.
Berríos (8-5) allowed three runs and six hits. He walked two and struck out eight, one shy of his season high. The right-hander is 8-3 with a 2.74 ERA in his past 14 starts.
“José was really good today,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said “He really made pitches when he had to.”
Left-hander Tim Mayza worked the seventh, Nate Pearson pitched the eighth and Yimi García got two outs in the ninth before leaving because of a sore right knee. Jordan Romano came on and struck out Ryan Noda to strand runners at second and third, earning his 23rd save in 26 chances.
Toronto has won nine of its past 11 home meetings with the Athletics.
Oakland changed up its pitching plans and used right-hander Shintaro Fujinami (3-7) as an opener ahead of Harris, who allowed four runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
“I felt like everything was almost there, but not quite,” Harris said of his performance.
The Blue Jays scored twice against Fujinami before chasing him with two outs in the first. George Springer and Bo Bichette opened the inning with back-to-back hits, Brandon Belt hit a sacrifice fly, and Matt Chapman added an RBI single.
Fujinami allowed four hits. He didn’t walk or strike out a batter.
“With his stuff, you expect maybe a little bit more strikeouts than what we’re seeing,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said
Seth Brown hit a solo homer off Berríos in the second, his fifth, but Guerrero drove in a run in the bottom half when Harris hit him on the leg with a bases-loaded pitch.
Noda cut it to 3-2 with an RBI double in the third, but was thrown out trying to advance to third base. JJ Bleday singled before Berríos retired Brown to end the inning.
Jansen made it 5-2 in the bottom half with his 10th homer.
Guerrero extended the lead to 7-3 when he greeted Austin Pruitt with a 437-foot drive to center, his 11th.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Toronto put RHP Adam Cimber (right shoulder impingement) on the 15-day IL and recalled RHP Bowden Francis from Triple-A Buffalo. Cimber missed 26 games in April and May because of a strained right rhomboid. He had a 10.12 ERA in 11 games after returning May 23.
CELEBRATING CRICKET
The Blue Jays marked Cricket Day by inviting Jamaican star Chris Gayle, nicknamed The Universe Boss, to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Gayle also took batting practice with a baseball bat before the game. Some Blue Jays players, including infielder Whit Merrifield, took a few swings with a cricket bat.
HOME COOKIN’
The Blue Jays have won 21 of Berríos’ past 24 starts in Toronto, dating to 2021.
SAVE ME
Romano’s 23 saves before the All-Star Break are the second-most in Blue Jays history. B.J. Ryan had 24 before the break in 2006.
UP NEXT
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-2, 3.97) starts for the Blue Jays in Sunday’s series finale. RHP Luis Medina (1-6, 7.01) goes for the Athletics.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMic2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRzbi5jYS9tbGIvZGFubnktamFuc2VuLWFuZC12bGFkaW1pci1ndWVycmVyby1qci10d28tcnVuLWhvbWVycy1saWZ0LWJsdWUtamF5cy1vdmVyLWF0aGxldGljcy0xLjE5NzcxMjXSAXdodHRwczovL3d3dy50c24uY2EvZGFubnktamFuc2VuLWFuZC12bGFkaW1pci1ndWVycmVyby1qci10d28tcnVuLWhvbWVycy1saWZ0LWJsdWUtamF5cy1vdmVyLWF0aGxldGljcy0xLjE5NzcxMjU_dHNuLWFtcA?oc=5
2023-06-24 23:04:15Z
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