TORONTO (AP) — Davis Schneider hit the winning two-run homer in the 14th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Pittsburgh 5-3 on Friday night for their ninth straight win over the Pirates.
Schneider’s seventh home run of the season came on the first pitch he saw from right-hander Kyle Nicolas (0-1) for Toronto’s first game-winning hit of 2024.
Schneider was 0 for 5 with three strikeouts before his homer but said assistant hitting coach Matt Hague gave him some helpful advice before his final at bat.
“He was like ‘You’ve got to start a little bit earlier, this guy is throwing 98,’” Schneider said. “He saw that I was kind of a little bit late. I only saw one pitch but I made the most of it.”
Génesis Cabrera (1-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win as the Blue Jays matched a season best with their fourth straight victory and won in the debut of their new City Connect uniforms.
“I feel like we’re just about putting the pieces together,” Schneider said. “We have the talent, it’s just a matter of putting it all together.”
Cabrera’s outing capped seven no-hit innings by five Toronto relievers, following work by Chad Green, Yimi García, Nate Pearson and Tim Mayza.
“They made big pitches,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “That’s really hard to do with a runner at second that many times in a row.”
After Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th, Toronto tied it in the bottom half when George Springer hit a two-out RBI single.
Blue Jays right fielder Springer made a sensational diving catch on Reynolds’ drive in the top half but couldn’t stop automatic runner Ji Hwan Bae scoring from third.
“That changed the game,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Springer’s play. “It’s the best catch we’ve seen all year. He made an unbelievable play.”
Ke’Bryan Hayes made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly in the 12th but Kevin Kiermaier answered with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half.
Toronto loaded the bases with two out in the 13th but Carmen Mlodzinski caught Cavan Biggio looking at strike three.
The Pirates opened the scoring in the fifth when Andrew McCutchen hit a two-out RBI single off starter José Berríos, who gave up six hits and one run over seven innings. Berríos walked none and struck out five.
The Blue Jays didn’t get a runner to second base through the first five innings against Pirates right-hander Bailey Falter. Falter allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five in six innings.
“Really good effort by Bailey,” Shelton said. “He emptied the tank there in the sixth.”
Toronto tied it after reliever Colin Holderman hit Springer with a two-out pitch in the sixth. Pinch hitter Daniel Vogelbach hit a fly ball to deep center that Bae lost in the twilight. The ball hit off the wall for a double, allowing Springer to score.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: RHP Alek Manoah was placed on the 15-day IL because of a sprained elbow. The 2022 Cy Young Award finalist left Wednesday’s start against the White Sox after 1 2/3 innings. … Manager John Schneider said RHP Jordan Romano (elbow) and OF Daulton Varsho (illness) were not available Friday.
ROSTER MOVES
Toronto acquired right-hander Ryan Burr from Philadelphia in exchange for cash and added him to the active roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, Triple-A RHP Joel Kuhnel was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays LHP Yusei Kikuchi (2-4, 3.25) is scheduled to start Saturday against Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (6-3, 3.59).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press
