Field Level Media
Sep 25, 2020
Travis Shaw had three hits, including a two-run home run, Randal Grichuk added a solo shot and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Baltimore Orioles 10-5 Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Buffalo.
Jonathan Villar and Teoscar Hernandez also had two RBIs each for the Blue Jays (31-27), who have won seven of eight meetings between the teams.
Ramon Urias, Cedric Mullins and Jose Iglesias homered for Baltimore (24-34). Mullins had two RBIs.
Toronto starter Taijuan Walker pitched three perfect innings with four strikeouts and was removed as he prepares for a start in the postseason. It was his first outing since going on the injured list with elbow tightness.
He was replaced by rookie Nate Pearson (1-0), who allowed a walk and a single with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings to earn his first major league win.
Orioles starter Jorge Lopez (2-2) allowed eight runs and nine hits in two-plus innings.
Grichuk led off a six-run second inning with his 11th home run of the season, six against the Orioles. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled, Jonathan Davis was hit by a pitch and Joe Panik walked to load the bases. Danny Jansen hit an RBI single, Villar hit a sacrifice fly, Bo Bichette had an RBI single and a wild pitch put runners at second and third for Hernandez, who hit a two-run single.
Toronto added two runs in the third. Guerrero, Shaw and Davis hit consecutive singles to score one run. Thomas Eshelman replaced Lopez and allowed singles to Panik and Villar that resulted in another run.
Toronto led 10-0 in the fourth after Grichuk singled and Shaw hit his sixth homer.
Shun Yamaguchi replaced Pearson with two out in the fifth and allowed the first homer by Urias and the third homer by Mullins.
Iglesias led off the sixth with his third homer. After Rio Ruiz singled, Ryan Borucki replaced Yamaguchi and allowed an RBI double to Hanser Alberto.
Toronto's Thomas Hatch pitched the seventh and eighth and allowed one walk.
Patrick Murphy allowed two hits and one run in the ninth.
--Field Level Media