Smacking away his 40th home run Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led Toronto Blue Jays to trounce the New York Yankees 8-0 on Monday and extend their win streak to five games in the Major League Baseball (MLB).
On Jameson Taillon’s 13th pitch, Guerrero blasted his 40th home run. The slugger and his Hall of Fame father became the second father-son combo to smash 40 home runs, behind Cecil and Prince Fielder. Guerrero had three hits in the game, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, which is a career record.
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In his 16-year career, Guerrero Sr. hit 449 home runs. He had a career-high of 44 with the Montreal Expos in 2000.
Meanwhile, Marcus Semien blasted a single home run in the first inning and a grand slam in the ninth for Toronto’s sixth of the season. He’s hit five home runs in his previous five games and has 37 for the season, which is a career-best.
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The Blue Jays’ Teoscar Hernández also hit a home run in the ninth inning.
The Blue Jays won for the eighth time in nine games, with to Hyun Jin Ryu’s (13-8) six-inning performance. This season, Toronto has a 5-2 record in the Bronx.
After losing his previous two outings, Ryu (13-8) limited the Yankees to three singles. He struck out six batters, including Joey Gallo three times, and did not walk a single batter.
At first base, Ryu had some assistance from a slimmed-down Guerrero. Guerrero, who dropped 42 pounds over the summer, had two good stretches in which he got a throw from shortstop Bo Bichette in the fifth inning and a toss from Semien on a double play in the sixth inning.
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Meanwhile, after two one-run losses to the Orioles, the Yankees have now lost seven times in their last nine games following their first 13-game winning streak since 1961.
In seven innings, Taillon (8-6) allowed three runs on three hits. Following a 15-race undefeated streak, he lost his second consecutive start.
Tim Mayza and Trevor Richards both pitched a scoreless inning. Toronto’s AL-leading 14th shutout was completed by Adam Cimber, who pitched a five-hitter.
With inputs from the Associated Press