Aledmys Diaz’s three-run double lifts Blue Jays over Phillies 8-6

Seranthony Dominguez (1-5) was charged with three earned runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning for the Phillies (69-60) who have dropped six of their past seven games.

Aaron Sanchez, activated off the disabled list on Saturday (right index finger contusion), was tagged for six earned runs on 10 hits over parts of six innings. The Blue Jays right-hander struck out two and walked a pair.

“I think off the bat, I pitched better than the line says,” said Sanchez. “Defence was outstanding there all game, bullpen harnessed down the remainder of the six innings or five innings after I came out. The guys got big hits in big situations and we were fortunate enough to come out with the win.”

Kendrys Morales and Billy McKinney each hit a two-run home runs and Teoscar Hernandez delivered an RBI single in the win.

Rhys Hoskins scored Roman Quinn on a sac-fly for the game’s first run in the third.

Quinn added to the lead in the fourth, doubling down the first baseline to drive in a pair of runs. Two batters later, Hoskins singled to left field to score Odubel Herrera and Quinn giving Philly a 5-0 lead.

Morales put the Blue Jays on the board in the bottom half of the inning, taking Pivetta’s 2-2 pitch over the wall for a two-run home run. It was Morales’s 20th of the season, and sixth in as many games, tying him with Jose Cruz Jr. (2001) for the longest home run streak in franchise history.

“He’s been on a nice little role now for a while, a good while,” said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “Early in the year, he was chasing a lot of breaking balls, off-speed pitches down in the dirt, down in the zone — that’s what was getting him into trouble. He’s laying off those now and he’s even hitting breaking balls.”

Toronto cut Philly’s lead to 5-3 on Hernandez’s RBI single four batters later.

The Phillies doubled their lead in the fifth on Jorge Alfaro’s single, which scored Asdrubal Cabrera.

Philly starter, and Victoria native, Nick Pivetta surrendered five earned runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking three over 6 2/3 innings of work.

Notes: Prior to Saturday’s game Gibbons announced the club is not expecting veteran shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to play this season. The 33-year-old has not played since July 28, 2017 when he suffered ligament damage that required surgery after stepping on an opponent’s foot while running to first base. Tulowitzki underwent a second surgery in April to remove bone spurs from both heels.

Dhiren Mahiban, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Aledmys Diaz’s three-run double lifts Blue Jays over Phillies 8-6

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