Guerrero hits first home run of season at Rogers Centre as Blue Jays rout Orioles

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his first home run at Rogers Centre this season and had four hits as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-1 on Sunday in the rubber match of their series.

Kazuma Okamoto followed Guerrero with a long solo homer, setting a Blue Jays rookie-season record with 85 RBIs. Toronto improved to 75-75 and remained one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final American League wild-card position after Cleveland beat Minnesota 9-2.

With the game tied and two outs in the fifth inning, George Springer, Guerrero and Okamoto hit consecutive home runs. Guerrero’s drive down the left-field line and into the Blue Jays bullpen came in his 68th home game and 252nd at-bat at Rogers Centre this season.

Okamoto’s team-leading 32nd homer reached the second deck and travelled 410 feet. Springer added a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning, finishing with four RBIs.

Guerrero entered the game with nine homers and 56 RBIs, while Okamoto has had an outstanding debut summer. The 41,805 fans at Rogers Centre celebrated as Guerrero put on the team’s home-run blazer, chanted “Vla-ddy, Vla-ddy,” and prompted a curtain call.

Guerrero narrowly missed a home run in the third inning, settling for a double high off the right-centre-field wall. He also singled in the first and seventh innings.

Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers fell to 10-10 after allowing three home runs and four runs on seven hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out five.

Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease worked through a difficult first two innings but lasted five innings and threw 94 pitches. He struck out nine, allowing one run on four hits and five walks.

Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage, sidelined by a left-knee ailment since early July, threw a bullpen session Sunday morning. He is expected to make a rehabilitation start this week and could return during the final week of the regular season.

Pete Alonso tied the game with a single in the fifth inning and became the first American League player to reach 100 RBIs. Cease loaded the bases after Alonso’s single was sandwiched between two walks, then struck out three consecutive batters to escape the inning.

Cease struck out Coby Mayo for his career-high 228th strikeout of the season and finished the afternoon with 236 strikeouts.

Toronto opens a three-game home series against the Detroit Tigers on Monday. Jose Soriano (12-7) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays against Tigers right-hander Troy Melton (8-4).