Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a homer, a double and a triple and drove in four runs as the Toronto Blue Jays held on to defeat the visiting Baltimore Orioles 7-6 on Thursday.
Guerrero extended his hitting streak to 20 games in the decisive game of a three-game series.
Toronto right-hander Kevin Gausman (10-8) pitched eight strong innings. He held Baltimore to two runs, three hits and three walks while striking out two. The Orioles rallied with four runs in the ninth, but Chad Green got the final three outs for his 10th save.
Colton Cowser hit a two-run home run and had four RBIs for the Orioles, who dropped to 3-4 on their 10-game road trip.
Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer (4-9) struggled from the outset. He allowed five runs, four hits and five walks while striking out six in 4 1/3 innings.
Toronto scored three runs in the first inning. George Springer led off with a single just over Kremer’s head as the pitcher’s hat fell off, Daulton Varsho walked and Guerrero hit an RBI double to center. Varsho scored on a balk and Alejandro Kirk followed with a single to left that scored Guerrero.
The Orioles had their first baserunner when Ramon Urias walked with two outs in the third. Cowser followed with his 17th homer of the season, driving a first-pitch sinker to left.
Toronto took a 5-2 lead in the fifth. Varsho led off with a walk and Guerrero hit a fastball down the middle to right-center for his 23rd homer of the season.
The Blue Jays added two runs, charged to Keegan Akin, in the sixth. Leo Jimenez doubled with one out and scored on Varsho’s two-out single. Guerrero hit a triple against Bryan Baker that sent Ryan O’Hearn crashing into the wall and scored Varsho.
Gausman retired the final eight batters he faced.
Toronto reliever Zach Pop opened the ninth by allowing consecutive singles to O’Hearn, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle to load the bases. Green replaced Pop. A run scored on Jackson Holliday’s fielder’s-choice grounder to third. Cedric Mullins hit an RBI double, and Cowser hit a two-out, two-run single.
Anthony Santander flied out to center to end the game.
Before the game, the Blue Jays put left-hander Genesis Cabrera on the paternity list and activated right-hander Tommy Nance, who was acquired on Wednesday from the San Diego Padres in a cash transaction.
–Field Level Media