Berrios, Belt lead Jays to 8-2 win over slumping Pirates
By John Perrotto, The Associated Press on May 6, 2023.
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Brandon Belt hit a two-run double in a four-run first inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays extended the Pittsburgh Pirates’ losing streak to a season-high six games with an 8-2 victory on Saturday night. José BerrÃos (3-3) gave up two runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and one walk as Toronto won its second straight after a five-game skid. He retired his first 13 batters before Jack Suwinski walked with one out in the fifth inning and Ke’Bryan Hayes followed with a single. Before a crowd of 34,882, the Pirates’ largest for a May home game since 2015, Johan Oviedo (2-3) gave up seven runs – six earned – 10 hits and three walks in five innings. It was the second straight poor outing for Oviedo, tagged for seven runs over 2 1/3 innings last Sunday at Washington. Pittsburgh has skidded since a 20-8 start, its best since 1992. Belt was ejected in the top of the eighth inning by plate umpire Carlos Torres for arguing a called third strike. Daulton Varsho hit a two-ahead single in first for the Blue Jays, who outhit Pittsburgh 14-5, and Alejandro Kirk capped the inning with an RBI double. Toronto extended the lead to 7-0 in the third, when Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run single after the first run of the inning scored on second baseman Rodolfo Castro’s throwing error. Kiermaier grounded into a run-scoring double play in the seventh. Connor Joe singled in a run in the sixth for the Pirates and Suwinski hit a leadoff home run in the seventh. Bryan Reynolds extended his hitting streak to 11 games. TRAINER’S ROOM Blue Jays: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a late scratch because of left wrist discomfort. It marked just the fourth time Guerrero has missed a game since the start of the 2020 season. Guerrero was scheduled to be the designated hitter, but Belt shifted from first base to DH and Biggio started at first. Pirates: DH/OF Andrew McCutchen missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. “¦ INF/OF Ji Hwan Bae sat out after rolling his left ankle in Friday’s game. UP NEXT In Sunday’s series finale, Blue Jays LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-0, 4.02) will face RHP Roansy Contreras (3-2, 4.09) as Toronto goes for the sweep. — AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports 18-17
