TORONTO (AP) — José Berríos struck out seven in seven innings to win his third straight start, George Springer hit two of Toronto’s season-high five home runs and the Blue Jays beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-3 on Tuesday night.
Springer launched a two-run drive in the second inning and a solo shot in the fifth to give him 16 homers this season. It was his third multi-homer game of the year and the 24th of his career.
“George’s first one obviously really kind of turned the game,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
Leo Jiménez also hit a two-run homer, and Alejandro Kirk and Spencer Horwitz had back-to-back shots for Toronto. It was the third time this season the Blue Jays hit consecutive home runs.
“It gets a little contagious,” Schneider said.
Toronto is 48-8 when scoring five runs or more.
All five homers came against Carson Spiers (4-5). The right-hander set career worsts by allowing 13 hits and 10 runs, nine earned, in 4 1/3 innings.
“A tough night,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Obviously, you feel for anyone to go through a night like that. He kept pitching. Just nothing went right.”
The outing raised Spiers’ ERA from 4.55 to 5.43.
“It’s a tough game,” Spiers said. “Ball didn’t bounce my way. All you can do is come back tomorrow and work your tail off.”
Toronto’s five-homer outburst came a year to the day since the Blue Jays last hit that many, connecting five times off Reds right-hander Hunter Greene in a 10-3 win at Cincinnati. Springer also homered that day.
Reds catcher Luke Maile came on to pitch against his former team in the seventh and retired all six batters he faced. Maile got Davis Schneider to ground out on a 41 mph pitch to end the eighth.
It was the second mound appearance in four days for Maile, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning against Kansas City in Saturday’s 13-1 loss.
Still, Bell found it hard to take much pleasure in Maile's performance.
“I don’t like it at all,” Bell said of sending a position player to the mound. “Luke makes it easy because of his attitude, and he obviously does a good job, but I hate every bit of that.”
Berríos (12-9) allowed two runs and six hits for his first victory in four career starts against the Reds. He said his recent success is the result of his delivery working well.
“We got good command with good direction to the plate,” Berríos said. “Tonight was another great night.”
Berríos beat the Angels on the road in his previous start, winning away from home for the first time since April 20 at San Diego. He’s 9-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 13 starts at home this season and 3-7 with a 4.91 ERA in 13 starts on the road.
Toronto opened the scoring when Daulton Varsho tripled and scored on Will Wagner’s two-out single in the first inning.
Noelvi Marte tied it with an RBI single off Berríos in the second, but Toronto answered with three runs in the bottom half. Joey Loperfido tripled and scored on Addison Barger’s double, and Springer followed with his 15th home run.
Kirk and Horwitz extended the lead with two-out homers in the third, both solo shots. Kirk’s homer was his fourth, and Horwitz connected for the seventh time.
Varsho was hit by a pitch in the fourth and scored on Marte’s fielding error at third base.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: INF Jeimer Candelario was placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken left big toe. Candelario was hit on the foot by a pitch Sunday. He went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts Monday. … Cincinnati activated INF Amed Rosario, who was claimed off waivers Sunday from the Dodgers.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP Yariel Rodríguez (1-5, 3.93 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale against RHP Nick Martinez (6-6, 3.25).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press
