Field Level Media
Jun 20, 2023
Ernie Clement broke a scoreless tie in the eighth inning by lofting a soft RBI single to center, helping the Toronto Blue Jays beat the host Miami Marlins 2-0 on Tuesday night.
George Springer also had a run-scoring single for the Blue Jays, who snapped a three-game skid. Center fielder Daulton Varsho made two stellar catches in the ninth to allow the Blue Jays to hold on to the victory. The Marlins had their five-game winning streak snapped.
Miami's Luis Arraez, who started the day leading the majors with a .400 batting average, went 1-for-4. He is now batting .398.
Both starting pitchers pitched six scoreless innings, and neither one earned a decision.
Miami rookie Eury Perez lowered his ERA to 1.54, striking out a career-high nine batters. He allowed three hits and did not issue a walk. Blue Jays veteran Yusei Kikuchi allowed two hits while striking out six without a walk.
Former Marlins reliever Yimi Garcia (2-3) earned the win, and Jordan Romano picked up his 21st save of the season.
Tanner Scott (4-2) took the loss, allowing three hits and two runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Miami did not have a baserunner until Arraez singled to lead off the fourth.
Toronto had the game's first threat with one out in the fifth, as Matt Chapman doubled and took third on center fielder Garrett Hampson's fielding error. However, Perez struck out Danny Jansen and got Spencer Horwitz to ground out.
Miami had a chance to score in the sixth after Nick Fortes smacked a leadoff single and advanced on Hampson's sacrifice bunt. But Kikuchi got Jacob Amaya to fly out and Arraez grounded out to end the inning.
In the seventh, Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stroked a one-out double. He was left stranded when Marlins reliever Dylan Floro struck out Varsho and Chapman.
Toronto finally broke through in the eighth when Santiago Espinal doubled and scored on Clement's base hit. Clement took second on the throw home and scored on Springer's single.
Miami put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but reliever Tim Mayza got Jesus Sanchez to bounce into an inning-ending double play.
--Field Level Media