Varsho's five RBIs power Blue Jays past Cubs to avoid sweep

Daulton Varsho had a three-run homer and a two-run single to lead the Toronto Blue Jays past the Chicago Cubs 11-4 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Whit Merrifield went 4 for 6 with an RBI double, two runs, and a stolen base as Toronto (66-54) snapped a three-game losing skid. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a pair of RBI singles, with George Springer, Santiago Epsinal and Paul DeJong also driving in runs with base hits.

Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-1) allowed two runs — both unearned — on two hits over five innings, striking out three and walking two. Relievers Genesis Cabrera, Jay Jackson, Erik Swanson and Nate Pearson closed it out.

Patrick Wisdom led Chicago (61-57) with a two-run homer. Dansby Swanson had a two-run double.

Canadian Jameson Taillon (7-7) gave up eight runs on eight hits and two walks over three innings with two strikeouts. Hayden Wesneski, Drew Smyly, Daniel Palencia and Caleb Killian came out of the Cubs' bullpen.

Ryu was forced to leave Toronto's 3-1 victory in Cleveland on Aug. 7 after being hit on the right knee by a line drive in the fourth inning. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he was impressed that Ryu didn't miss a start.

"We were holding our breath but he's a young strapping boy," Schneider said on Saturday of the 36-year-old Ryu. "It's pretty impressive that he just took it off the knee and made the play and then he's good to go. So credit to him."

Swanson got the Cubs on the board in the first inning, doubling into the left-field corner with two outs to score Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ. Both runs were unearned as Happ reached base on an error by Toronto first baseman Brandon Belt.

Varsho replied for the Blue Jays in the second, launching a 2-1 pitch from Taillon off the second-field deck and down into the visitor's bullpen. Varsho's moon shot came off a 94.6 m.p.h. four-seam fastball, travelling 391 feet with a 35 degree launch angle and an exit velocity of 106.2 m.p.h.

His 14th home run of the season also scored Cavan Biggio and Danny Jansen.

Toronto poured it on as they worked through their entire lineup in the inning. Guerrero singled to left field to score White Merrifield from second. In the next at bat, Springer singled to right to plate Belt for a 5-2 lead.

Guerrero drove in another run in the fourth, with his base hit to left field bringing home Merrifield as the Blue Jays led off that inning with three consecutive singles.

Varsho cashed in two more runs from that rally, singling to centre field to score Belt and Guerrero for an 8-2 Toronto advantage.

Wisdom cut that lead in half in the seventh inning with a two-run homer to dead centre. His 20th of the year also scored Swanson to make it 8-4.

Toronto stacked up more runs on the Cubs in the eighth inning.

Espinal's sharply hit single to left field drove in Biggio. DeJong followed that up with a hit to right that plated Varsho and moved Espinal to third. Merrifield's double then scored Espinal for a towering seven-run lead.

CHAPMAN OUT — Blue Jays all-star third baseman Matt Chapman was scratched from the lineup less than 90 minutes before game time with an inflammation on the middle finger of his right hand. Espinal was moved from short to third in the lineup with Paul DeJong stepping in at shortstop.

ON DECK — Toronto has Monday off before hosting the Philadelphia Phillies in a quick interleague series Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Cubs return to Chicago to host the White Sox on Tuesday in a crosstown rivalry game at Wrigley Field.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2023.