Nathan Lukes delivered the go-ahead, two-run double in a four-run fifth inning and rookie Brett Bateman had three hits as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 on Thursday afternoon.
Toronto (70-71) scored five consecutive runs to claim the rubber match of the three-game series between American League postseason contenders. Cleveland (70-70) holds the final wild-card spot, but the Blue Jays are just 1/2 game behind.
Lukes’ two-run liner to right-center chased Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (5-15), who took over the major league lead in losses. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jesus Sanchez followed with RBIs against Colin Holderman as Toronto seized a 5-1 advantage.
Spencer Miles (6-2) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Closer Louis Varland brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth before striking out Angel Genao and picking up his 32nd save in 33 opportunities.
Cleveland’s Austin Hedges had a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth off Mason Fluharty, scoring Jo Adell and Genao to close the deficit to 5-3. But Miles and fellow right-handers Tyler Rogers and Varland shut the door the rest of the way.
Jose Soriano worked the first 4 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays and smacked his glove in frustration when he was pulled one out shy of qualifying for the win. The right-hander gave up three runs on six hits, walking three with a pair of strikeouts.
Bibee tied his career high with five walks over four-plus innings, being charged with five runs on four hits. The righty struck out four, falling to 1-6 in eight starts since July 25, and hasn’t won at home since July 20.
Ernie Clement singled in Josh Smith in the ninth with an insurance run for Toronto. The run was given up by Carlos Hernandez, the seventh Guardians pitcher of the day.
Cleveland got on the board in the third when Genao singled in Adell. The Blue Jays answered in the fourth on Sean Keys’ RBI single that plated Guerrero, who walked after a foul ball dropped between catcher Hedges and third baseman Genao earlier in the at-bat.
