Scherzer, Blue Jays blank Mariners 7-0 to sweep series

TORONTO (AP) — Max Scherzer and two relievers combined on a one-hitter, Alejandro Kirk and Kazuma Okamoto homered and the Toronto Blue Jays thumped the Seattle Mariners 7-0 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Toronto Blue Jays 7, Seattle Mariners 0: Box Score

The Mariners have lost four straight.

Scherzer (2-7) struck out a season-high 10, moving him past Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry and into ninth place on the career strikeouts list.

A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer reached the mark by striking out Cal Raleigh for the second out of the seventh inning. It was the 3,535th strikeout of Scherzer’s career.

Scherzer walked one and allowed one hit in a season-high seven innings to earn his first win since his season-opening start on March 31 against Colorado. He threw 97 pitches, 67 strikes.

Spencer Miles worked the eighth and Braydon Fisher finished Toronto’s 10th shutout.

The 42-year-old Scherzer struck out the side in the first, getting Randy Arozarena, Dominic Canzone and Julio Rodríguez swinging.

Josh Naylor struck out looking in the second and went down swinging after Seattle’s lone hit, Raleigh’s two-out double in the fourth.

Scherzer matched Perry by getting Cole Young swinging in the fifth.

Scherzer passed Hall of Famer Walter Johnson and moved into 10th place all-time by striking out former teammate Kyle Schwarber in a win at Philadelphia on Aug. 8.

Kirk hit a two-run homer off Mariners starter Logan Gilbert (11-8) in the first inning.

Okamoto made it 4-0 with a one-out homer in the sixth, his 28th.

Gilbert allowed three runs and six hits in five innings, snapping a streak of three straight winning starts.

Up next

Mariners: RHP George Kirby (9-10, 4.02 ERA) is expected to start at Boston on Monday against Red Sox LHP Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.09).

Blue Jays: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-7, 4.81 ERA) is scheduled to start at Cleveland on Tuesday against Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (12-7, 3.98).

Seattle Mariners news and more

• Mariners place Emerson Hancock on the 15-day IL
• Ex-Mariners OF Kelenic signs minor league deal with Yankees
• The Mariners’ top candidates for September callups

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