TJ Friedl had a solo homer among his three hits as the visiting Cincinnati Reds defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Monday night.
Ty France added two hits and two RBIs for the Reds, who ended a three-game losing streak.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Ernie Clement hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series that begins a seven-game homestand. Toronto completed a 4-2 road trip on Sunday.
Toronto right-hander Kevin Gausman (11-9) allowed four runs (three earned), five hits and two walks while striking out five in five-plus innings.
Cincinnati right-hander Julian Aguiar made his major league debut and allowed two runs, four hits and one walk to go along with two strikeouts in four innings. Tony Santillan (1-1) replaced him and allowed a walk and struck out one in 1 1/3 shutout innings.
The game was tied 2-2 before Cincinnati scored four runs in the sixth. Tyler Stephenson reached first base thanks to a passed ball after he struck out. Friedl followed with a single, prompting the Blue Jays to replace Gausman with Ryan Burr.
Spencer Steer greeted the reliever with an RBI double to right-center. One out later, France hit a two-run double to right-center. Jake Fraley also doubled to right-center to score another run.
Cincinnati reliever Sam Moll allowed Addison Barger’s one-out double in the seventh and was replaced by Buck Farmer. After a two-out walk by Daulton Varsho, Guerrero grounded out to shortstop, ending the inning.
Justin Wilson pitched a perfect eighth for the Reds. Alexis Diaz allowed Clement’s eighth homer of the season to open the bottom of the ninth, then retired the next three batters to close the game.
With two outs in the first, Guerrero hit a hanging curveball to left-center for his 26th homer of the season, a solo shot, opening the scoring.
Former Blue Jay Santiago Espinal, who was traded to the Reds in spring training, received an ovation before hooking a double to left with one out in the third. Espinal took third on a balk, and Jonathan India walked. Elly De La Cruz then hit a sacrifice fly to left.
George Springer doubled with one out in the home half of the third, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Varsho’s single.
Leading off the fourth, Friedl hit a 1-0 fastball to right for his 10th home run of the season.
–Field Level Media
