Davis Schneider’s go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning after Toronto’s three-run fourth was enough to push the Blue Jays over the host Cincinnati Reds 4-3 on Saturday night.
With the game deadlocked at three, Schneider sent a changeup to left field off Reds starter Brandon Williamson to give the Blue Jays the lead for good.
Toronto rebounded from Friday’s series-opening 1-0 loss to get its seventh win in its last 10 road games.
Chris Bassitt (12-6) earned the win, going six innings and giving up three hits and three runs (two earned), with six strikeouts.
The Reds had their two-game winning streak snapped.
Williamson (4-3) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out six. It’s the most hits the rookie has allowed in his 17 starts this season.
The Blue Jays used three RBI singles with two outs in the top of the fourth to begin the scoring. Daulton Varsho, Whit Merrifield and Bo Bichette got the RBIs to give the Blue Jays a 3-0 lead.
Bichette was activated from the injured list earlier Saturday and played his first game since July 31. The two-time All-Star went 1-for-5.
The Reds used a three-run inning of their own in the home half of the inning to pull back even. TJ Friedl laced a leadoff home run to right field, his 11th of the season.
After a walk to Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz hit a ball off the right-field wall for a triple to score McLain and also raced home on throwing error by right fielder Cavan Biggio to even the score at 3.
The Reds flirted with late-game heroics in the bottom of the ninth by getting runners on first and second with no outs and then second and third with one out after a double steal from newly called-up Noelvi Marte and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.
But Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano retired the next two batters to end the rally and notch his 30th save.
–Field Level Media
