Varsho robs a homer, then hits one for Blue Jays
BALTIMORE — Daulton Varsho robbed a homer with his glove, hit one with his bat and then drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning with a groundball to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
The Blue Jays overcame two home runs by Adley Rutschman, tying the game on Varsho’s solo shot in the eighth and then prevailing in extra innings. Ernie Clement led off the 10th with a bunt single off Jacob Webb (0-2) that moved the automatic runner to third.
After a popout, Varsho’s grounder was fielded by diving second baseman Jorge Mateo, but the Orioles — who had already turned three double plays to get out of significant jams — had no chance to pull off another.
Jordan Romano (1-0) pitched the ninth and 10th. The Orioles moved their automatic runner to third on Anthony Santander’s leadoff flyout, but Colton Cowser struck out looking. Jordan Westburg drew a walk, and slumping center fielder Cedric Mullins hit a routine grounder on the first pitch to end it.
Bo Bichette had three hits and a walk for the Blue Jays.
It was the first multi-homer game for Rutschman, but the Orioles managed only one other hit on the night. Ryan O’Hearn nearly followed Rutschman’s solo shot in the fourth with one of his own, but Varsho made a leaping catch above the wall in center field.
“I didn’t think it was going to go that far, to be honest,” Varsho said. “But then I just kept drifting and I was like, ‘Oh boy, this is going to get out.’ Then I just kind of made the jump, and hopefully it went in my glove.”
Toronto starter Jose Berrios allowed all three Baltimore hits. He struck out 4 and walked 1 in 7 innings.
Corbin Burnes allowed a run and 6 hits in 6 innings for the Orioles.
Burnes yielded a single and a walk to start the second, but a flyout and a double play ended that threat. In the fourth, the Blue Jays had men on first and third with one out, but Daniel Vogelbach grounded out and Alejandro Kirk struck out.
Vogelbach singled home a run in the sixth to tie the game.
Rutschman’s second homer came in the bottom of the sixth, but Yennier Cano allowed Varsho’s seventh home run of the season in the eighth.
RAYS 5, RED SOX 3 Amed Rosario hit a two-run triple during Tampa Bay’s three-run first inning to lead a victory over Boston. Rosario added an RBI double and Yandy Diaz had three hits for the Rays, who are in a stretch of 13 straight games against rival AL East clubs.
GUARDIANS 7, RANGERS 0 Jose Ramirez had a pair of two-run singles and reached base five times as Cleveland beat Texas, sending the Rangers to their first four-game losing streak of the season.
ASTROS 9, ATHLETICS 2 Alex Bregman homered twice and had a season-high four RBI to lead Houston to a win over Oakland.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 2, CUBS 0 Zack Short made the most of his first start by breaking a scoreless tie with a run-scoring double in the sixth and Atlanta spoiled another strong start by Chicago rookie Shota Imanaga to win.
PIRATES 8, BREWERS 6 Bryan Reynolds went 5 for 5 with a homer and two doubles, Mitch Keller threw six shutout innings and Pittsburgh defeated Milwaukee.
PHILLIES 5, METS 4 (10) Bryson Stott hit a leadoff homer in the ninth against All-Star closer Edwin Diaz and delivered the tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as MLB-leading Philadelphia beat New York Mets. The Phillies trailed 4-2 before Diaz gave up Stott’s homer and hit Alec Bohm with a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs.
INTERLEAGUE
TIGERS 6, MARLINS 5 Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run home run to highlight a three-run outburst in the eighth inning as Detroit rallied for a win over Miami.