Jays fall below .500
TORONTO The numbers are looking worse with each game as the losses pile up for the Toronto Blue Jays.
The latest defeat, a 3-1 decision to the Oakland Athletics on Friday night, left Toronto under the .500 mark for the first time since late March.
The Blue Jays (22-23) have lost 10 of 13 at home, six of eight overall and 11 of their last 16.
“If we’re pitching, we’re not hitting. If we’re hitting, we’re not pitching,” said Toronto starter Marco Estrada. “Whereas before we were kind of doing everything right.
“Plain and simple, we’ve just got to play a little bit better.”
The Athletics pulled ahead with a pair of runs off Estrada in the seventh inning. Reliever Danny Coloumbe (1-1) worked 1 1/3 innings for the victory and Blake Treinen recorded the last four outs for his ninth save.
Dustin Fowler scored twice and had two of Oakland’s nine hits as the Athletics improved to 5-3 on their 10-game road trip. Oakland (23-22) has won four of its last five games.
The teams will continue the four-game set over the weekend. By dropping the first two games, Toronto will extend its string of consecutive winless series to six.
The Blue Jays managed six hits in all and struck out a season-high 15 times.
For the second straight night, Oakland’s starter took himself out of the game due to injury. This time it was southpaw Brett Anderson, who left during the second-inning warmup with a left shoulder strain.
His replacement was Josh Lucas, who had been recalled shortly before the game. He coolly fanned five of the first six batters he faced.
“They’ve got some good young pitching, there’s no doubt about that,” said Toronto manager John Gibbons. “Tip your hat to them. They did the job.”
Fowler took Estrada (24) deep in the third inning for the first home run of his big-league career.
CUBS 8, REDS 1
CINCINNATI — Jon Lester pitched six dominant innings, Addison Russell tied his career high with four hits and the Chicago Cubs quickly took control with a threerun first inning on the way to a win over the Cincinnati Reds.
ROYALS 5, YANKEES 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Whit Merrifield had three hits, stole three bases and scored twice off CC Sabathia in the first four innings, Jakob Junis held down the Yankees’ potent offence and Kansas City beat New York.
ASTROS 4, INDIANS 1
HOUSTON — Charlie Morton pitched seven solid innings, Tony Kemp had a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh and the Houston Astros beat the Cleveland Indians.
BREWERS 8, TWINS 3
MINNEAPOLIS — Jesus Aguilar homered twice and Ji-Man Choi hit a solo home run in his return to the majors as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins.
ORIOLES 7, RED SOX 4
BOSTON — Jonathan Schoop homered and Alex Cobb got his first win of the season as Baltimore beat Boston, ending the Orioles’ 13-game road losing streak.
PADRES 3, PIRATES 2
PITTSBURGH — Eric Hosmer hit two doubles and scored the go-ahead run and Tyson Ross won for the first time in more than a month as the San Diego Padres cooled off the Pittsburgh Pirates.
MARLINS 2, BRAVES 0
ATLANTA — Dan Straily pitched seven scoreless innings, J.T. Realmuto had an RBI triple and the Miami Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves.
METS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 1
NEW YORK — Jacob deGrom matched a career high with 13 strikeouts, Michael Conforto went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and the New York Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks.