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.
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.
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. The outing raised his ERA from 4.55 to 5.43.
Toronto’s five-homer outburst came a year to the day since the Blue Jays last hit as 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.
Berríos (12-9) allowed two runs and six hits for his first victory in four career starts against the Reds.
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 off Spiers 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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