Addison Barger homered and drove in four runs to help the visiting Toronto Blue Jays overcome an early five-run deficit and post a 13-9 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk belted back-to-back homers in the fourth inning and Barger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed suit in the fifth. Barger had a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and an RBI single in the eighth as the Blue Jays (81-59) banged out 18 hits to win the decisive contest of the three-game series.
Toronto’s George Springer went deep in the third inning for his team-leading 27th homer and third in his last two games.
Varsho and Ty France each collected three hits and two RBIs for the Blue Jays.
Shane Bieber (2-1) rebounded after the rocky start to work six innings, allowing five runs on five hits. He struck out six.
Cincinnati’s Noelvi Marte ripped a two-run double to cap a five-run second inning and added an RBI single in the seventh. Jose Trevino and Matt McLain each drove in two runs for the reeling Reds (70-70), who have lost 10 of their last 13 games.
Toronto began to chip away after Cincinnati scored five runs in the second inning for the second straight night.
Springer put the Blue Jays on the scoreboard, depositing a 1-0 fastball from Reds starter Zack Littell over the wall in center field.
Varsho homered in his third straight contest and Kirk went deep two pitches later to cut the Cincinnati lead to 5-3.
The Blue Jays tied the contest after Springer singled with one out in the fifth inning before Barger deposited a 1-2 fastball from Littell over the wall in right-center field. Nick Martinez (10-11) relieved Littell and promptly saw Guerrero send his 0-1 sinker over the wall in left-center field.
Barger and France added a sacrifice fly in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, and Toronto scored four runs in the top of the eighth before Cincinnati responded with three RBI doubles in the bottom half of the frame.
Brendon Little struck out TJ Friedl to end the threat and Jeff Hoffman retired the side in order in the ninth inning to end the game.
Martinez permitted two runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings.
