By Canadian Press

Teoscar Hernandez lifts Blue Jays over Cubs 5-3 to back Kevin Gausman’s strong outing

Aug 30, 2022 | 7:33 PM

TORONTO — Teoscar Hernandez’s three-run homer in the sixth inning gave Toronto its first lead of the game as the Blue Jays beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Tuesday.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a solo home run and batted in a run with a single for Toronto (70-58).

Starter Kevin Gausman (10-9) struck out nine and allowed five hits, including two home runs. David Phelps, Anthony Bass Trevor Richards and closer Jordan Romano came out of the bullpen to preserve Gausman’s win.

Romano earned a four-out save, his 28th of the season.

Christopher Morel had a solo shot and an RBI double for Chicago (55-75). Wilson Contreras opened the scoring with a home run of his own in the fourth.

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Marcus Stroman earned a no decision, even though he held the Blue Jays to three hits, a walk and a run with one strikeout. Brendon Little (0-1), Michael Rucker and Jeremiah Estrada came on in relief.

Gausman was especially sharp in the second and third, striking out five consecutive batters between the two innings. He ended the second by fanning Franmil Reyes and Nico Hoerner, then got Nelson Vleazquez, P.J. Higgins and Morel swinging in the third.

Contreras got to Gausman with one out in the fourth inning. He took the first pitch he saw, an 85 m.p.h. slider, to deep left field for a 1-0 Chicago lead.

Guerrero tied it in the fifth inning when his single up the middle drove home Danny Jansen and advanced George Springer to third. Jansen had reached base after Stroman hit him with a pitch.

Morel re-established the Cubs’ lead in the next inning. He hit his 13th home run of the season to deep left field, making no mistake on Gausman’s 92.9 m.p.h four-seam fastball.

After Little hit Bo Bichette with a pitch and Matt Chapman beat the throw to first for a base hit, Hernandez came to the plate. He sailed a 93.9 m.p.h. sinker 382 feet to deep right for a 4-2 Toronto lead.

The homer was Hernandez’s 100th hit of the season, the eighth Blue Jay to reach the century mark of 2022. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies have six each for second most in Major League Baseball. It’s the first time in franchise history that eight players have 100-plus hits before September.

Morel chipped away at Toronto’s lead in the seventh, stroking a double to left field to cash in Velazquez and make it 4-3.

Chants of “Vladdy! Vladdy! Vladdy!” rained down from the 33,759 in attendance at Rogers Centre after Guerrero led off the seventh inning with a solo home run to right field. His 27th of the season came off of a 93.7 m.p.h. four-seam fastball from Rucker.

UP NEXT — Mitch White (1-4) gets the start for Toronto as the Blue Jays close out their interleague series against the Cubs. Chicago has yet to name its starter for the evening game.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2022.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press