Ryu cruises, Blue Jays bats stay hot to take 3-game series in Baltimore
Catcher Reese McGuire doubles 3 times in 4 at-bats to lead 14-hit attack
Reese McGuire had three doubles during a four-hit performance, leading Hyun Jin Ryu and the Toronto Blue Jays past the Baltimore Orioles 7-4 Sunday.
Toronto, which snapped a five-game skid by erasing a three-run deficit with two outs in the ninth inning Saturday on the way to a 10-7 victory, won in less stressful fashion in the series finale. The Blue Jays claimed their first set since sweeping two games from Miami on June 1-2 while also getting back to .500.
"As a whole, this was a huge series for us," said McGuire, who enjoyed his first four-hit day since Aug. 8, 2019, against the New York Yankees. "To roll into the off day, but also as we approach the All-Star break and try to inch ourselves closer to the lead in the AL."
Trey Mancini homered twice for Baltimore, which has dropped 10 of its last 11 and is an American League-worst 23-48.
Ryu (6-4) breezed through seven innings aside from Mancini's solo shot in the first. Ryu gave up three hits and walked one while striking out four and retiring 17 of the last 18 batters he faced.
"He was locating, and that's a key for him," Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. "It's key for any pitcher, but when he locates with his pitches, he's tough to hit because he keeps people off balance when he does that."
Ryu is 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA in three starts against Baltimore since joining the Blue Jays last season. Ryu's last strikeout Sunday was the 806th of his career, tying him with Byung-hyun Kim for the second most among South Korea-born pitchers. Chan Ho Park had 1,715.
Baltimore closed within 6-4 on Pedro Severino's solo homer and Mancini's two-run drive —- the 100th home run of his career —- off Trent Thornton in the eighth.
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Mancini reached the milestone with his 14th homer of the year after missing all of 2020 while undergoing treatment for colon cancer.
"There were a lot of times last year where I felt I would always be stuck on 86 and not get the opportunity to hit any more," Mancini said. "It's definitely something I cherish and don't take for granted."
Tyler Chatwood handled the ninth for his first save since 2019 and the Blue Jays' first since May 30.
Toronto got to Baltimore starter Matt Harvey (3-9) in the fifth inning. Bo Bichette's one-out RBI single tied it at 1 and, after a walk, Teoscar Hernandez's double gave the Blue Jays the lead. Randal Grichuk and Cavan Biggio followed with RBI singles to make it 4-1 and end Harvey's afternoon.
Harvey allowed four runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings and struck out five. He is 0-8 with an 11.49 ERA in nine starts since May 7, and has not completed five innings once in that span.
"The stuff was good early and obviously it wasn't there in the fifth," Harvey said. "I'm kicking myself. With the stuff I had early, I should have been in the sixth, seventh inning and there should be a lot less runs on the board."
McGuire drove in a run on a double in the eighth, then scored on Bichette's single. He added an RBI single in the ninth.
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