(Toronto) The Toronto Blue Jays lost two players midway through Sunday’s game and conceded a bit more ground in the hunt for the American League playoffs.
Kole Calhoun broke the tie with a two-run double in the 11th inning for the Cleveland Guardians, who defeated the Blue Jays 10-7.
Calhoun put the ball behind outfielder George Springer with two outs at the expense of Jay Jackson (3-1). Ramon Laureano followed with a two-run homer to give the Guardians a four-point lead.
The win gave the Guardians (62-69) a three-game win over the Blue Jays (71-60) in front of 41,978 fans at Rogers Centre. The hometown team slips 2.5 games out of last place in the American League playoffs with 31 games remaining.
They could now be without Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman for a while as both players have left the game.
Bichette’s situation will be reassessed daily. Blue Jays manager John Schneider was unaware after the game if the new injury was related to the tendonitis in his right knee that caused his player to miss 16 games earlier this season.
“[Bichette] is already better and has played despite this injury,” he explained. So we just wanted to be careful. I don’t think he’s really hurt, it’s just a precaution. »
The Blue Jays star grounded to second base in the fifth and didn’t run to first base. He was shut out in three at bats in that game, which he started as the leader in the American with 152 hits.
Bichette had made a comeback on August 19. The Toronto club went 8-8 without him.
Chapman was also taken out of the game with swelling in his right middle finger. He was due for a magnetic resonance imaging test late that evening.
“[Chapman] had a lot of swings in one particular [sixth grade] shift,” Schneider said.
Blue Jays rookie Davis Schneider had another strong game. He gave his team the lead with a two-run long ball in the sixth. He also had a double in the eighth.
After his double, he was replaced by pinch runner Kevin Kiermaier, who tied the game 6-6 on a Daulton Varsho single moments later.
At the start of the eighth, Andres Gimenez had given the Guardians a point lead with a double against Tim Mayza.
The Blue Jays started the game with two runs in the first when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 20th homer of the season.
The Guardians, however, brought the two teams evenly matched with Jose Ramirez’s 21st long ball in the third. They added two runs in the next inning.
George Springer also sent the ball into the stands.
End-of-game specialist Emmanuel Clase (2-7) scored the victory, despite a final point awarded by virtue of a sacrifice ball from Whit Merrifield.
Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi gave up four runs, six hits and two walks in six innings. He also struck out eight batters.
In the other clan, Noah Syndergaard also worked on the mound for six rounds. He conceded four strikes from a safe place, including three homers, and three free passes.
The Blue Jays begin a three-game series Monday against the Washington Nationals in Toronto. Kevin Gausman (9-8) is expected to start for the home favorites, and Josiah Gray (7-10) for the visitors.