By Canadian Press

Morel’s late RBI double lifts Cubs over Blue Jays 5-4 as Toronto honours Bautista

Aug 12, 2023 | 4:59 PM

TORONTO — Christopher Morel’s late RBI double handed the Chicago Cubs a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

Dansby Swanson had a three-run homer to give Chicago (61-56) a lead in the fourth inning after Cody Bellinger’s RBI single tied it 1-1.

Justin Steele struck out seven but allowed three runs on six hits over five innings. Relievers Michael Fulmer, Mark Leiter Jr., Jose Cuas, Julian Merryweather (4-0) and Adbert Alzolay followed him to the mound.

Whit Merrifield’s two-run homer in the sixth inning tied the game up 4-4 for Toronto (65-54). Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s single and Santiago Espinal’s double also drove in runs.

Chris Bassitt allowed four runs on four hits, striking out six over six innings. Yimi Garcia, Erik Swanson, and Jordan Hicks (1-7) came out of the Blue Jays’ bullpen.

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Toronto rookie infielder Davis Schneider got a rousing ovation from the sold-out crowd of 42,585 at Rogers Centre. He was called up to the Blue Jays major league roster from triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 4, making his debut in Boston. He hit an impressive .409 on that road trip.

Saturday’s game was his first ever in Toronto and he said beforehand that he wasn’t expecting anything for his hometown debut.

“The fans have been really, really, really cool so far to me,” said Schneider on Friday. “I see them in the street sometimes and they ask for autographs and pictures, which has been cool. 

“It’s crazy to me because I’m from a small town in New Jersey. I never really expected anything like this before.”

Guerrero got the Blue Jays on the board in the third when his single went just over the outstretched glove of jumping Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner to land in shallow centre field, giving Daulton Varsho enough time to round third and score.

Chicago responded in the next inning, with Bellinger’s single off the right-field wall driving home Hoerner. Swanson cleared the bases in the next at bat, launching a three-run homer into the second deck above Toronto’s bullpen to plate Ian Happ and Bellinger for a 4-1 Cubs advantage.

Merrifield cut into that lead in the fifth, smashing his 11th home run of the season 406 feet over the centre-field wall. That bomb also scored Santiago Espinal.

Espinal tied it 4-4 an inning later when his hit bounced off the ground and over the centre-field wall for a double. That scored Schneider from second, who had reached base on a double for his first-ever hit at Rogers Centre.

Bellinger led the ninth inning off with a double to deep right field. Swanson grounded out to second in the next at bat to bring Morel to the plate.

Morel drilled an 86.4 m.p.h. sweeper from Hicks to left field, narrowly avoiding a tag from Schneider at second for the double. Bellinger easily trotted home to make it 5-4 for Chicago.

BAUTISTA HONOURED — Former Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista was celebrated in a 45-minute pre-game ceremony. His name was added to Toronto’s Level of Excellence beside Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay.

ON DECK — Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-1) will make his third start of the season for Toronto as the Blue Jays finish their three-game interleague series with Chicago.

Canadian right-hander Jameson Taillon (7-6) is scheduled for the Cubs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2023.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press