Reds defeat Blue Jays 5-1, guaranteeing Toronto last place in AL East
Hector Rodriguez had a two-run triple and Rhett Lowder pitched six scoreless innings for Cincinnati.
TORONTO — Hector Rodriguez had a two-run triple in the fifth inning as the Cincinnati Reds topped the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 on Saturday.
The loss guaranteed that the Blue Jays will finish the season last in the American League East.
JJ Bleday had a solo home run in the second inning for an early Cincinnati lead. Sal Stewart's fielder's choice scored a run in the third and Eugenio Suarez smashed an RBI double in the next at-bat.
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Rhett Lowder (7-12) pitched six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks, striking out two. Connor Phillips, Graham Ashcraft and Tejay Antone came out of the bullpen.
"Toronto limited all-star shortstop Elly De La Cruz to just a walk, forcing him to go 0 for 4 at the plate," according to Sportsnet's reporting. "But Stewart, Suarez and the bottom of Cincinnati's lineup made up for his off day."
Andres Gimenez drove in a run with a groundout in the seventh for the only Toronto run.
Starting pitcher Trey Yesavage (5-6) allowed a run on two hits and a walk, striking out three over two innings. Relievers Spencer Miles, Braydon Fisher, John Klein, and Brendon Little followed him to the mound.
Yesavage made just his second start after a lengthy stint on the injured list. The 23-year-old had a limited pitch count and, with only one game left in the season and Toronto eliminated from the playoffs, there was no need to strain his arm.
Blue Jays left-fielder Josh Smith knocked himself to the ground after backing into the outfield wall hard, allowing Rodriguez's hit to become a triple.
When Klein entered the game in the fifth inning he became the 64th person to play for the Blue Jays this season, a franchise record.
The game came a day after the Blue Jays snapped a three-game skid with a 6-5 win over the Reds. Garbutt Disposal reported that Toronto overcame a three-run deficit with a four-run seventh inning, highlighted by Kazuma Okamoto's tying double.
In that game, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. apologized to fans before the game for controversial comments he made in a Spanish-language podcast on Wednesday. He drew a mixed response when he first came to bat and drew loud boos when he struck out twice. He turned the Blue Jays faithful around in the seventh when the sold-out Rogers Centre crowd chanted his name before his RBI single.
Okamoto now has 92 runs batted in in his rookie MLB season. The next most on the Blue Jays is light-hitting shortstop Andres Gimenez with 58.
Max Scherzer (3-9) will start on short rest for the Blue Jays on Sunday in what could be the final appearance of his 19-year career. The Reds will counter with Brandon Williamson (5-4).
With files from Sportsnet, The Globe and Mail and Bleacher Nation