Alejandro Kirk had a homer and four RBIs and the Toronto Blue Jays came back to defeat the visiting Texas Rangers 6-5 on Friday night.
Kirk hit a two-run homer in the seventh and hit the go-ahead two-run single in the four-run eighth to help Toronto win the opener of a three-game series.
Kyle Higashioka hit a three-run home run, and Marcus Semien hit a two-run blast for the Rangers.
Toronto right fielder Nathan Lukes helped Chris Bassitt on two successive plays. Lukes made a leaping catch at the wall with a runner at first on Joc Pederson’s drive for the third out of the first.
Lukes made another good play when Evan Carter led off the second with a shot off the wall, but was thrown out trying for a double.
Bassitt needed the help. He hit the next batter, Semien, with a pitch and walked Rowdy Tellez. With two out, Higashioka launched an 0-1 center-cut cutter to left for a homer.
Jacob deGrom overcame Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s leadoff double in the fourth with two strikeouts and a groundout.
Bassitt worked around a walk to complete five innings in which he allowed three runs, four hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
Cole Winn took over in the sixth from deGrom, who allowed no runs, two hits and no walks with five strikeouts in five innings.
Robert Garcia allowed a leadoff single to Addison Barger in the bottom of the seventh and Kirk’s one-out homer to right on an 0-1 changeup. Shawn Armstrong replaced Garcia.
Toronto’s Mason Fluharty walked Carter with two out in the top of the eighth and was replaced by Louis Varland (4-3). Semien hit a first-pitch slider to left center for his first home run in 22 games.
Danny Coulombe took over for Texas in the home eighth and allowed singles to Andres Gimenez and pinch hitter Davis Schneider before Bo Bichette lined an RBI single to center. Phil Maton (2-5) replaced Coulombe and walked Guerrero to load the bases. Daulton Varsho walked with one out to cut the lead to one. Kirk hit a two-run single to left.
Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 28th save.
