Myles Straw was 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Texas Rangers 14-2 on Saturday afternoon.
It was Straw’s first career multi-homer game while his four hits tied his career high.
Daulton Varsho was 3-for-3 with a two-run blast and a walk for the Blue Jays, who have won the first two games of the three-game series.
Davis Schneider had three hits and four RBIs with his three-run homer coming against Rangers first baseman Rowdy Tellez, who pitched the seventh and eighth.
Jake Burger had three hits and two RBIs for the Rangers, who have lost eight of nine.
Toronto erupted for six runs in the second against Patrick Corbin (6-9).
Bo Bichette led off with a single, took third on Varsho’s one-out single and scored on Ernie Clement’s double to left. Straw homered to left center on an 0-1 cutter down the middle. Andres Gimenez and Schneider singled, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked with two outs to load the bases. Bichette doubled on a drive that glanced off center fielder Wyatt Langford’s glove. Two runs scored and Guerrero was out at home to end the inning.
Texas scored once in the third against Eric Lauer (8-2). Sam Haggerty walked, stole second and scored on Burger’s single.
After a one-out walk in the third, Jon Gray replaced Corbin and allowed Straw’s fourth homer of the season. Corbin allowed seven runs, eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Varsho lined a homer to right in the fifth after Kirk walked. Another run scored in the inning when Schneider walked with the bases loaded. Gray left with an apparent injury and Luis Curvelo took over.
Lauer walked Josh Jung to start the sixth and was replaced by Tommy Nance. The Toronto starter allowed one run, four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Tellez allowed a single and hit a batter before Schneider homered to left in the seventh.
Toronto catcher Tyler Heineman pitched the ninth and allowed Burger’s RBI single.
George Springer (concussion) returned to the Toronto lineup and was 1-for-4. He batted leadoff for the first time this season.
Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien (wrist) did not play Saturday after he was hit by a pitch on Friday.
