AP

Guerrero Jr. hits MLB-leading 5th HR, Blue Jays beat A’s 4-1

Apr 15, 2022, 7:18 AM | Updated: 8:18 pm

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, celebrates his solo home run against the Oakland A...

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, celebrates his solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)


              Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ross Stripling throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ross Stripling throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Daulton Jefferies throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Oakland Athletics Billy McKinney holds on to the netting as he watches a foul ball hit by Toronto Blue Jays' Matt Chapman during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Oakland Athletics' Tony Kemp celebrates as he scores on a hit by Chad Pinder against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman (26) throws to first base to put out Oakland Athletics' Sheldon Neuse, foreground, during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Toronto Blue Jays' Raimel Tapia slides into home plate to score on a double by Santiago Espinal during the second inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Toronto Blue Jays' Raimel Tapia slides into home plate to score on a double by Santiago Espinal during the second inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) heads to the dugout after his solo home run against the Oakland Athletics, as Bo Bichette, left, celebrates by holding the home run jacket during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, celebrates his solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his major league-leading fifth home run, Zack Collins had two hits and an RBI and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Friday night.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. reached base three times, scored a run and drove in a run to help Toronto win its sixth straight against Oakland.

Guerrero hit three home runs in Wednesday’s win over the Yankees, then went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts Thursday in the series finale, fanning three times against New York right-hander Luis Severino.

“Severino did a good job against him and then today he’s back to Vlad,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said.

Guerrero was in the lineup at designated hitter for the first time this season and bounced back in the first inning, hammering a 2-2 pitch from Daulton Jefferies 428 feet to right-center.

“I left a cutter up and he took advantage of it,” Jefferies said. “He put a good swing on it.”

Oakland manager Mark Kotsay called Guerrero “a dynamic player.”

“As an opposing manager, you kind of go, ‘Oh, gosh, here he comes again,'” Kotsay said. “From a fan’s standpoint, it’s great for the game. You have to enjoy watching him.”

Guerrero singled in the third and flied out in the fifth. Many in the crowd of 35,415 booed when the Blue Jays slugger was intentionally walked with George Springer at third base in the seventh. Gurriel followed with an RBI double.

With a scoreless ninth, Toronto’s Jordan Romano extended his franchise-record streak by converting his 28th consecutive save opportunity. Romano’s run is the longest active saves streak in baseball.

Ross Stripling started for the Blue Jays and allowed two hits, walked none and struck out three in four shutout innings.

“All my pitches were working and gave us a chance to stay in the ballgame,” Stripling said.

Trevor Richards pitched the fifth and Tim Mayza departed after giving up singles to two of the three batters he faced in the sixth. Pinch-hitter Chad Pinder greeted reliever Adam Cimber with an RBI single, but Cimber retired the next two batters to escape the jam.

Cimber (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win, Yimi Garcia worked the eighth and Romano finished for his fifth save.

Toronto’s Matt Chapman went 0 for 2 with a pair of walks in his first game against his former team. Drafted by Oakland in 2014, the third baseman played 573 games over five seasons with the Athletics.

“He looks good in blue,” Jefferies jokes. “It’s always fun to face a teammate like that, especially one that was part of that core group and such a role model for all the younger guys.”

Jefferies (1-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two.

“Overall, I thought Daulton gave us a chance to win,” Kotsay said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Placed OF Stephen Piscotty on the COVID-19 IL and put C Austin Allen, and LHPs A.J. Puk and Kirby Snead on the restricted list. The A’s added LHP Zach Logue, RHP Ryan Castellani, C Christian Bethancourt and INF Drew Jackson as substitute players. … OF Luis Barrera cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Blue Jays: RHP Nate Pearson (mononucleosis) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session at Toronto’s facility in Florida on Saturday, Montoyo said.

GREAT IN EIGHT

Guerrero matched Carlos Delgado (1994, 2001) and Vernon Wells (2010) for the most home runs by a Blue Jays batter in the first eight games of a season.

SMITH SHINES

Oakland’s Kevin Smith, one of four players acquired from Toronto in the Chapman deal, went 2 for 3 with a double for the first multi-hit game of his career.

“He swung the bat well,” Kotsay said. “I’m happy for the kid.”

UP NEXT

Athletics RHP Paul Blackburn (1-0, 0.00) faces Blue Jays LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (0-0, 16.20) on Saturday. Blackburn is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two career starts in Toronto.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Guerrero Jr. hits MLB-leading 5th HR, Blue Jays beat A’s 4-1