Okamoto Homers for Second Straight Game, Drives in Two as Blue Jays Beat Guardians 5-3

The Associated Press

10:33 JST, April 26, 2026

TORONTO (AP) — Kazuma Okamoto homered for the second straight game, Andrés Giménez hit a two-run single and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 on Saturday.

Daulton Varsho had the tiebreaking hit in Toronto’s three-run sixth inning as the Blue Jays won for just the second time in eight games against AL Central opponents.

Kevin Gausman (2-1) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings to win his second straight start as the Blue Jays bounced back from Friday’s 8-6 loss.

Mason Fluharty got one out, Tyler Rogers worked the eighth and Louis Varland survived a rocky ninth inning for his second save in two chances despite allowing pinch hitter Kyle Manzardo’s RBI double. Varland struck out Brayan Rocchio for the final out, leaving the bases loaded.

Okamoto went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and scored twice. He homered in the fourth, singled and scored in the sixth and drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.

David Fry hit a solo home run, his first, but Cleveland couldn’t manage to win back-to-back games for the fourth time. The Guardians have yet to win three straight in 2026.

Cleveland opened the scoring in the third on Rocchio’s RBI grounder.

Okamoto tied it with a 425-foot drive to center off Joey Cantillo to begin the fourth, his fifth.

Cantillo (1-1) allowed three runs and six hits in five-plus innings, leaving after back-to-back singles by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Okamoto to begin the sixth.

Matt Festa came on and struck out pinch hitter Jesús Sánchez but Varsho grounded an RBI single past second baseman Brito.

One out later, Giménez blooped a two-run double that landed on the left field foul line and skipped past a sliding George Valera.

Up next

LHP Patrick Corbin (0-0, 3.68 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Sunday against Guardians RHP Slade Cecconi (0-3, 6.20).