Ramon Laureano drove in three runs, including a two-run homer, to pace the Cleveland Guardians in their 5-2 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays in the series opener on Friday.
Canadian Bo Naylor also helped the visitors by homering in his first at-bat at Rogers Centre as the Blue Jays (70-59) dropped their third game in a row before 40,755.
With Toronto ahead 1-0 after George Springer’s lead-off homer to right field in the second inning, Naylor, a 23-year-old rookie catcher from Mississauga, ON, tied the game with a one-out blast in the third inning for his fifth that landed in a similar spot as Springer’s in the Guardians (61-68) bullpen.
Laureano smacked his two-run shot to right-centre field with two out in the fourth inning after Oscar Gonzalez reached base on an infield hit.
Laureano increased Cleveland’s lead to 4-1 with a one-out double down the right-field line to cash in Gonzalez, who started a sixth-inning rally with a double.
Cleveland’s four runs came off Toronto starter Chris Bassitt (12-7). He lasted 5 ⅔ innings with seven hits, five strikeouts and two walks, including an intentional walk to Jose Ramirez in the fifth inning.
Guardians 24-year-old rookie righty Tanner Bibee (10-3) went six innings, giving up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. socked his 18th homer with one out in the sixth inning. After Guerrero’s homer, the following seven Blue Jays batters went down in order, and Andres Gimenez restored the Guardians’ three-run lead with a solo shot to right in the eighth inning.
Guerrero also was thrown out in the fourth inning, trying to score from first to third on Matt Chapman’s double to left.
But shortstop Gabriel Arias’s relay through from Steven Kwan to Naylor nipped Guerrero at the plate.
The Blue Jays also stranded Alejandro Kirk at third base with one out after Whit Merrifield and Bo Bichette stuck out to end the fifth inning.
Cleveland reliever Emmanuel Clase picked up his 34th save by retiring three of four Toronto hitters in the ninth.
MANOAH IN AAA
Now that Alek Manoah (3-9) has joined Triple-A Buffalo after being demoted, neither Blue Jays manager John Schneider nor general manager Ross Atkins were willing to say when the troubled right-handed pitcher would make his first start for the Bisons.
Atkins did say that the two weeks off for Manoah to undergo extensive medical tests were a mutual decision between the Blue Jays and Manoah.
“It was just to be thorough,” Atkins said. “We just wanted to make sure nothing was lingering.”
Atkins said Manoah hasn’t been dealing with any injuries and didn’t rule out the possibility of the righty rejoining the Blue Jays later next month.
ON DECK
A pair of southpaws take the mound in the middle of the three-game set, with Toronto’s Hyun Jin Ryu (2-1) facing Logan Allen (6-6) on Saturday.
