Ryu sharp as Blue Jays top Reds
TORONTO — Hyun Jin Ryu pitched six shutout innings to earn his first victory of the season, and the Blue Jays held Reds star Joey Votto in check in his return from COVID-19 as Toronto beat Cincinnati 2-1 Friday night.
Toronto improved to 11-6 in one-run games. They are 21-18 overall.
Making his fourth start of the season and his second after being activated off the injured list because of a sore forearm, Ryu (1-0) allowed six hits, including five doubles, walked none and struck out three. The left-hander lowered his ERA from 9.00 to 6.00.
Ryan Borucki got one out in the seventh and Adam Cimber got the other two. Yimi Garcia struck out two in the eighth and Jordan Romano finished for his 13th save in 15 chances.
Playing a series in his Canadian hometown for the fourth time, and the first since 2017, Votto went 1 for 4 with a double. He was activated off the COVID-19 injured list before the game. He last played in the majors on May 1.
Luis Castillo (0-2) made his third start of the season and lost his second straight outing, allowing two runs and seven hits in six innings. The right-hander walked none and struck out five.
The Blue Jays broke a scoreless tie in the fifth when George Springer hit an RBI single and scored on Bo Bichette’s double down the third base line.
Cincinnati cut the deficit in half in the seventh. Borucki hit Mike Moustakas with a pitch to begin the inning, then gave up a single to Taylor Motter.
Tyler Naquin grounded out and Cimber came on and struck out pinch hitter Colin Moran, but Matt Reynolds followed with an RBI single just beyond the reach of second baseman Santiago Espinal. Cimber struck out Tyler Stephenson to end the threat.
Reynolds had three of the Reds’ eight hits.
ROSTER MOVES
The Reds put LHP Ross Detwiler on the bereavement list and placed INF Brandon Drury, OF Albert Almora, RHP Joel Kuhnel and RHP Tyler Mahle on the restricted list. Cincinnati selected OF Aristides Aquino, INF Taylor Motter and RHP Graham Ashcraft as substitute players. All three were previously with Triple-A Louisville. Unvaccinated players go on the restricted list because they are not paid and do not accrue major league service time, according to a March agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: SS José Barrero (left hand surgery) started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Friday.
Blue Jays: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was held out of the starting lineup. Gurriel left Wednesday’s game against Seattle because of a sore left hamstring.
UP NEXT
RHP Hunter Greene (1-6, 6.21) faces RHP Alek Manoah (4-1, 1.71) in a matchup of hard throwers Saturday. Greene pitched 7 1/3 no-hit innings against Pittsburgh last Sunday, a game the Reds lost 1-0. Manoah is winless in three starts.