Alejandro Kirk led a six-homer barrage with a pair of two-run blasts, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Atlanta Braves 13-5 Friday night at Dunedin, Fla.
Teoscar Hernandez added a three-run homer, Bo Bichette had a two-run drive while Randal Grichuk and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit solo shots for Toronto in the opener of a three-game series.
Toronto left-hander Robbie Ray (1-1) allowed two runs, five hits with no walks while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings. He gave up one hit in the first six innings.
Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer for Atlanta.
Atlanta left-hander Drew Smyly (0-2) allowed six runs (five earned), seven hits and four walks in four-plus innings.
George Springer, who had his first hit as a Blue Jay with a first-inning single, reached first on catcher's interference with one out in the third. Bichette followed with his seventh homer of the season, a drive to right center on an 0-1 cutter.
Toronto took a 4-0 lead in the fourth. Gurriel singled and scored when Kirk homered to center on a 3-0 fastball.
Grichuk hit a hanging curve for his fifth homer of the season to start the fifth. Marcus Semien walked. Edgar Santana replaced Smyly and allowed Kirk's third homer of the season with two out on a 2-1 fastball.
Jacob Webb allowed a single to Bichette, a walk to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the second homer of the season by Hernandez in the sixth. Hernandez was playing his first game since April 8 because of COVID-19 protocols.
Marcell Ozuna doubled and Albies hit his fifth homer of the season with two out in the seventh. Ryan Borucki replaced Ray after Travis d'Arnaud doubled, but Borucki got the final out of the inning.
Sean Newcomb allowed two runs in the seventh on a bases-loaded wild pitch and Guerrero's RBI single.
Borucki allowed a single and two walks to load the bases with one out in the eighth. Freddie Freeman lined an infield RBI single back to Borucki. Joel Payamps replaced Borucki and allowed Ozuna's two-run single.
Gurriel hit his second homer this season against Tyler Matzek in the bottom of the eighth.
Jordan Romano pitched around a ninth-inning single.
--Field Level Media
Atlanta | Toronto | |
Drew Smyly | Player | Robbie Ray |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.0 | IP | 6.2 |
3 | Strikeouts | 5 |
7 | Hits | 5 |
11.25 | ERA | 2.70 |
Atlanta | Toronto | |
Travis d'Arnaud | Player | Lourdes Gurriel Jr. |
2 | Hits | 3 |
0 | RBI | 1 |
0 | HR | 1 |
3 | TB | 6 |
.500 | Avg | .600 |