TORONTO — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his fifth home run, to lead the Major Leagues in that statistical category, while Zack Collins had two hits and one RBI in Friday’s game, a victory for the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-1 on the Oakland Athletics.
Cuban Lourdes Gurriel Jr. reached base three times, scored one run and drove in another as Toronto put together its sixth victory against Oakland.
Guerrero hit three home runs Wednesday in a win over the Yankees. A day later, he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the series finale.
Fellow Dominican Luis Severino struck out three times in that matchup.
“Severino did a great job against him. But today he was Vlad again,” Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said.
Guerrero was in the lineup as a designated hitter for the first time this season, and he regained his power from the first inning, when he found a 22-count pitch from Daulton Jefferies to put the ball 428 feet from the plate, between the outfield right and center.
“As a rival manager you think, ‘Oh my God, here he comes again,’” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “From a fan standpoint, he is wonderful for this sport. You enjoy watching it.”
Guerrero hit a single in the third inning and a harmless lob in the fifth. Many of the 35,415 spectators booed when the Blue Jays slugger was intentionally walked in the seventh inning. George Springer was in third base, and Gurriel drove him in anyway with a double.
Through a shutout in the ninth, Jordan Romano extended his streak by converting for his 28th straight save opportunity. It’s a franchise record and the longest streak of its kind that’s active in baseball.
Adam Cimber (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win. Dominican Yimi García worked the eighth, before Romano arrived.
For the Athletics, the Venezuelan Elvis Andrus 3-0. Dominican Christian Pache 3-0.
For the Blue Jays, the Dominicans Guerrero 3-2 with a run scored and an RBI, Raimel Tapia 2-2 with a run scored, Santiago Espinal 3-1 with an RBI. The Cuban Gurriel 3-2 with a run scored and an RBI.
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Vlad Jr. hits 5th HR in Blue Jays victory