Jays walk off lost and confused

Braves 4 Blue Jays 3 NEXT: TONIGHT AT RED SOX, 7:30 P.M.

ATLANTA— Nick Markakis capped his first start of the season with a game-ending home run in the ninth inning that lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays on Thursday night.

Days after opting back into the season after stepping away due to coronavirus concerns, Markakis lined the one-out homer off Jays reliever Wilmer Font that carried into the restaurant behind the right-field stands.

Following the homer, Braves players circled home plate with plenty of distance, waving their hands in the air as Markakis finished his trot. Mark Melancon pitched a perfect ninth.

Freddie Freeman hit a tworun homer in the first off Toronto rookie Nate Pearson. Bo Bichette hit a homer in the fourth for the Blue Jays.

Pearson, making his second start, allowed three runs on two hits in five innings.

Jays manager Charlie Montoyo tried to bring in right-hander Jacob Waguespack to open the sixth, but the switch was disallowed. Before the game,

Waguespack had been assigned to the team’s taxi squad to get down to the 28-man roster limit, but the Jays recalled him again when pitcher Trent Thornton went on the injured list later in the day. That move, however, had not been processed, leaving Montoyo to change plans and bring in Rafael Dolis.

Marcell Ozuna didn’t look happy when a 96 m.p.h. fastball from Pearson sailed above his head in the fourth. Ozuna answered by lining a single to left field with an exit velocity of 110 m.p.h. Ozuna moved to second on Pearson’s wild pitch to Markakis, whose grounder to first advanced Ozuna to third. Adam Duvall’s fly ball to left field drove in Ozuna for a 3-1 lead.

Right-hander Touki Toussaint gave the depleted Atlanta rotation a boost by setting career highs with his 62⁄ innings and 3 nine strikeouts. Toussaint left the game with a 3-2 lead, but Blue Jays pinch-hitter Teoscar Hernandez singled up the middle off Tyler Matzek to drive in Rowdy Tellez to tie the game. Toussaint gave up four hits and three runs with no walks.

Right-hander Tanner Roark (1-0, 1.80) will start as Toronto opens a weekend series at Boston on Friday against righty Ryan Weber (0-2, 11.57).

TODD KIRKLAND GETTY IMAGES Blue Jays rookie Nate Pearson went five innings in his second big-league start, allowing three runs on just two hits while striking out five at SunTrust Park.