The Sports Xchange
May 26, 2017
TORONTO -- Devon Travis hit a grand slam, Justin Smoak and Kendrys Morales hit solo home runs and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Texas Rangers 7-6 on Friday night.
Travis also hit a double and a single in extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
Rougned Odor hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning against Joe Smith for the Rangers and Roberto Osuna struck out Mike Napoli to post his eighth save.
It was the fourth win in a row for the Blue Jays (22-26) and the fourth consecutive loss for the Rangers (24-25), who were coming off a sweep by the Boston Red Sox.
Blue Jays reliever Aaron Loup (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings with one strikeout to gain the win.
Toronto starter Mike Bolsinger allowed six hits, four walks and three runs (two earned) in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out two.
Texas starter A.J. Griffin (4-2) allowed three hits that included the homer by Travis, two walks and four runs in 1 1/3 innings. The right-hander had two strikeouts before leaving with a strained muscle in his left side.
Toronto increased its lead to four runs in the sixth.
Troy Tulowitzki walked with one out in the sixth and Travis singled. Jeremy Jeffress replaced Austin Bibens-Dirkx and walked Ezequiel Carrera to load the bases. Kevin Pillar grounded to first to force Tulowitzki at home. Travis scored on a wild pitch.
Danny Barnes and Ryan Tepera followed Loup from the bullpen. Smith took over in the ninth before allowing a two-out infield single, a double and Odor's seventh homer of the season to cut Toronto's lead to one.
The Rangers scored an unearned run in the second inning. Napoli walked and reached third base on a throwing error by Travis in an attempted force at second on Joey Gallo's grounder to second. Jared Hoying followed with a sacrifice fly.
Travis hit his second career grand slam in the bottom of the second -- and extended his hitting streak to 10 games -- to give Toronto a 4-1 lead. It scored Smoak, who led off with a walk; Russell Martin, who singled; and Tulowitzki, who walked.
Griffin struck out Carrera before leaving the game with an left intercostal strain. He was replaced by Bibens-Dirkx, who allowed Smoak's 11th homer of the season in the third inning and Morales' ninth of the season in the fifth.
The Rangers had a threat in the top of the third, but Elvis Andrus was thrown out at home trying to score from first on a double by Jonathan Lucroy. Right fielder Jose Bautista fielded the ball and threw to Travis, and the second baseman made a strong throw home.
The Rangers scored a run in the fourth. Napoli led off with a single, took second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a groundout and came home on a groundout to first by Hoying.
The Rangers scored a run in the fifth on walks to Andrus, who stole second and third, and Odor, and a single by Napoli. Loup replaced Bolsinger and ended the inning on a groundout.
NOTES: Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson (strained right calf) and SS Troy Tulowitzki (strained right hamstring) were activated from the disabled list. Donaldson had been out since April 13 and Tulowitzki has been out since April 21. OF Dwight Smith Jr. was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday after the game in Milwaukee and RHP Cesar Valdez was optioned to Buffalo. Donaldson doubled in the first inning. ... Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre (right calf strain) continued his rehabilitation with four hits, including a double, in his second extended spring training game in Arizona. ... Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (3-2, 3.30 ERA) will face Texas RHP Yu Darvish (5-2, 2.83) on Saturday in the second game of the three-game series.