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Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi takes a break on the mound during first-inning baseball game action against the Texas Rangers in Toronto, Friday, July 26, 2024.
AP
17:30 JST, July 28, 2024
TORONTO (AP) — Ernie Clement singled in the ninth inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 6-5 victory over Texas on Friday night, ending the defending champion Rangers’ winning streak at five.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base four times as the Blue Jays snapped a six-game losing streak against the Rangers.
Justin Turner hit a one-out single off Josh Sborz (2-1) in the ninth and was replaced by Steward Berroa, who stole second.
Sborz exited after walking Guerrero, with Kirby Yates coming on to strike out Danny Jansen for the second out. Spencer Horwitz was intentionally walked to load the bases for Clement, who won it with a first-pitch single to left.
I knew he was going to try to throw a strike so I was on go from pitch one, Clement said. “I got a pitch up in the zone and put a good swing on it.”
It was Clement’s first winning hit in the major leagues and Toronto’s third game-ending hit this season.
Unfortunately I didn’t make a good pitch and we lost the game because of it, Yates said. “You want it somewhere where he can’t hit it, preferably down. It wasn’t down, it was up.”
Yates hadn’t lost since June 18 against the Mets.
Kirby has done a great job, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s always a tough spot when you come in first and second, one out.”
Chad Green (3-2) worked 1 1/3 innings for the victory.
Adolis García homered and drove in three runs for Texas.
García gave the Rangers a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning with a home run that bounced off the top of the right field wall and hit the foul screen. The homer was his 18th.
Toronto tied it against Jonathan Hernández in the seventh when Jansen hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Jacob Latz came on to face Horwitz and kept it tied when Horwitz lined out and Turner was doubled off second base.
García opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single off Yusei Kikuchi in the first, driving in Marcus Semien.
The Rangers thought they’d turned a double play to end the first, but Toronto challenged and the replay showed shortstop Corey Seager hadn’t touched second base.
Horwitz and Clement made the extra chance count with doubles on consecutive pitches from left-hander Andrew Heaney. Horwitz drove in two and scored on Clement’s hit.
Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier made a sensational diving catch to retire Wyatt Langford with two runners on in the third.
He doesn’t catch that ball, we’re looking at a bigger inning, Bochy said.
Two batters later, Jonah Heim tied it at 3 with a two-run single.
Making what could be his final home start ahead of a potential trade to a contender, Kikuchi allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, extending his run of winless starts to eight. He walked two and struck out five.
Many in the crowd of 35,065 rose for a standing ovation when Kikuchi was replaced by Génesis Cabrera.
I gave up five runs today and the fans still gave me a standing ovation, Kikuchi said through a translator. “It was a pretty cool moment.”
Heaney allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.
