Kazuma Okamoto hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning Wednesday afternoon and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Miami Marlins 2-1.
The Marlins outhit the Blue Jays 11-5 in the rubber match of a three-game series but stranded eight in going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. They also had four runners caught stealing.
Otto Lopez went 4-for-4 with two stolen bases and the Marlins’ lone RBI, while Xavier Edwards was 3-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and two steals for the Marlins.
Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. produced two of Toronto’s five hits. Miami pitching fanned 13 Blue Jays.
Marlins starter Eury Perez left the game after four innings when he suffered a right hamstring spasm while doing his between- innings stretching. He had a season-best nine strikeouts in four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks. Michael Petersen took over in the fifth.
Miami scored a first-inning run against Kevin Gausman. Edwards laced a leadoff double to right on the 10th pitch of the at-bat and scored on Lopez’s one-out single to center.
The Marlins loaded the bases in the third with one out on two walks and a single before Kyle Stowers grounded into a double play.
Toronto tied the game against Petersen in the fifth. Tyler Heineman worked a two-out walk after 10 pitches and scored on Nathan Lukes’ double to the wall in right center.
Gausman allowed one run, six hits and two walks while striking out five in five innings.
Mason Fluharty took over and faced three batters, but left after allowing a one-out single to pinch hitter Heriberto Hernandez. He had hit Jakob Marsee with a pitch to start the inning, but Marsee was caught stealing.
Former closer Jeff Hoffman (3-3) replaced Fluharty. Hernandez stole second off Hoffman, but was thrown out trying to steal third.
Toronto took the lead in the sixth when Okamoto homered to right center on a 1-0 changeup from Andrew Nardi (3-3).
Hoffman pitched around two singles in the seventh with the help of another Marlin caught stealing.
Lopez led off the Miami eighth with a bloop single down the right-field line against Louis Varland. Stowers followed with a single to right. Marsee’s fielder’s choice grounder to Varland left runners at the corners with one out. The inning ended when Connor Norby took a called third strike and Marsee was caught stealing to complete a double play.
Tyler Rogers pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save.
–Field Level Media
