By Canadian Press

Reyes’s homer, Hoerner’s double help Cubs eke out 7-5 win over Blue Jays

Aug 31, 2022 | 7:44 PM

TORONTO — Franmil Reyes had a home run and Nico Hoerner’s double scored two runs as the Chicago Cubs held off the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 on Wednesday.

Ian Happ, Rafael Ortega and Zach McKinstry all had RBI singles for Chicago (56-75).

Luke Farrell started for the Cubs, pitching two innings in a no decision, striking out two but allowing two runs on two hits.

Manuel Rodriguez (1-0), Mark Leiter Jr., Erich Uelmen, Michael Rucker and Rowan Wick came out of the bullpen for Chicago. Wick earned his ninth save of the season.

Alejandro Kirk had a three-run home run for Toronto (70-59) and Cavan Biggio added a two-run shot.

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Mitch White (1-5) pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.

Toronto relievers Trevor Richards, David Phelps, Yimi Garcia, and Tim Mayza pitched the rest of the way, with Phelps giving up a run.

The Cubs got to White early, scratching out a run in the first inning. Happ’s bouncing single to right field scored Seiya Suzuki.

Chicago added to its lead in the next inning when first baseman Alfonso Rivas was caught stealing second. As Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette applied the tag, Cubs catcher Yan Gomes ran home to make it 2-0.

Hoerner doubled to shallow left field in the third to score Reyes and Happ. In the next at bat, Ortega had an RBI single to bring home Hoerner for a 5-0 Cubs’ lead but then he was put out while advancing on the throw.

Biggio answered back in the bottom of the inning with a towering shot to the second deck at Rogers Centre. His 375-foot home run also scored Teoscar Hernandez.

It was Biggio’s fourth homer of the season and brought his RBI total up to 20.

Reyes got a round of boos from the 28,572 in attendance when he hit a solo home run off of White in the fifth with two outs. His 13th of the season ended White’s night on the mound and gave Chicago a 6-2 lead.

Kirk brought the Blue Jays to within a run in the sixth inning, sailing an 82.9 m.p.h. slider from Uelmen to the second deck in left field. Kirk’s 13th homer of the season brought in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

McKinstry added some insurance for the Cubs in the seventh when his single cashed in Rivas. 

PLAYER TO BE NAMED OFFICIALLY NAMED — Toronto received catcher Edward Duran from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night. He was the player to be named later in a trade on Aug. 2 that sent relievers Zach Pop and Anthony Bass to the Blue Jays for infield prospect Jordan Groshans.

ROMANO FIRED UP — A video of Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano with a look of quiet intensity on his face in Toronto’s dugout made the rounds on Twitter Wednesday morning after the product of Markham, Ont., earned a four-out save in a 5-3 win over Chicago. Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said he saw the video and that he knows to steer clear of Romano between innings when he’s in the midst of an attempted save.

“He goes in the tunnel and he does his own little thing and re-emerges with one or two outs and he does a lot of self talk,” said Schneider. “He does a lot of things to really keep himself engaged.”

UP NEXT — The Blue Jays have Thursday off as they travel to Pittsburgh for a three-game series against the Pirates. The nine-game road trip will also see Toronto visit Baltimore and Texas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2022.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press