The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Rockies 5-0

Justin Turner went 3-for-4 with three runs scored as the Toronto Blue Jays shut out the Colorado Rockies 5-0 on Sunday.

Junior Vladimir Guerrero added an RBI single in the third inning as Toronto (8-8) snapped a back-to-back. Isiah Kinfer-Falefa drove in another run with his home run in the eighth.

Jose Berrios (3-0) allowed seven strikeouts over seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball.

Genesis Cabrera and Nate Pearson pitched two scoreless innings of relief to preserve the win for Berrios.

Kyle Freeland (0-3) gave up four runs on seven hits in five innings as Colorado (4-12) lost the rubber game of a three-game set at Rogers Center.

Victor Wodnik, Jalen Backes and Anthony Molina all came out of the Rockies' bullpen, with the latter giving up a run.

Turner opened the scoring in the first when he singled to shallow right field to score George Springer at second. The inning ended when Turner attempted to steal second in the next at-bat and was struck out by Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings.

With Guerrero running in the third, his shot to center field scored Kevin Kiermaier at third base for a 2-0 Blue Jays lead. Kiermaier reached base on a single, advanced to second on Freeland's throwing error, then advanced to third on Springer's sacrifice fly.

Turner struck again two batters later with a double that scored Guerrero.

It was the seventh RBI of the designated hitter for Toronto. Turner signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Blue Jays on January 30, replacing Brandon Belt as the team's DH.

Turner cashed in Springer again in the fifth inning, his third hit of the day to shallow center field. Turner's batting average climbed to .386 and his OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) was 1.095.

Toronto put together another rally in the eighth inning when Ernie Clement, Alejandro Kirk and Kiner-Falefa hit three consecutive singles. Keener-Falefa's two-out hit brought Clement home for a 5-0 lead.

Pearson led off the ninth and struck out Elias Diaz, Nolan Jones and Brenton Doyle to end the game.

ON THE DECK

Chris Bassitt (1-2) will start Monday as Toronto hosts the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game series.

Carlos Rodon (1-0) takes the mound for New York.

This Canadian Press report was first published on April 14, 2024.