Daulton Varsho delivered a two-run double in the 11th inning and Whit Merrifield added four hits as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays earned a 6-3 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night.
Matt Chapman hit a home run for the Blue Jays, who ended a five-game losing streak against the Dodgers that dated back to 2016. Toronto had also lost nine of its previous 10 against Los Angeles going back to 2007.
Jason Heyward homered for the Dodgers but also allowed Varsho’s 11th-inning liner to get by him while trying to make a diving catch. Los Angeles dropped an opener for the first time in 10 series.
Max Muncy hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning for Los Angeles, which was playing its first home game since July 8 after going 6-3 on a three-city road trip after the All-Star break.
Varsho’s go-ahead double came off Dodgers right-hander Phil Bickford (2-3), who also gave up a bases-loaded walk to Bo Bichette later in the 11th. Blue Jays right-hander Jay Jackson (3-0) pitched two scoreless innings before right-hander Jordan Romano earned his 28th save.
The Blue Jays took their first lead of the game at 3-2 in the eighth inning when Chapman hit a two-out home run to right-center field, his 13th. Muncy answered with a blast to right-center, his 25th and his third in three games.
The Dodgers opened a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from Muncy. Heyward made it 2-0 in the fourth inning with his 10th home run, one more than his total from the last two seasons combined with the Chicago Cubs.
The Blue Jays got even 2-2 in the fifth inning on RBI singles from Kevin Kiermaier and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Dodgers starter Michael Grove gave up two runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings with no walks and six strikeouts. Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios allowed two runs on five hits over five innings with four walks and three strikeouts.
The Dodgers were without designated hitter J.D. Martinez (hamstring), while the Blue Jays were without catcher Danny Jansen (forearm).
–Field Level Media
