Hayes, Reynolds hit 2-run HRs, Keller wins 5th straight start as Pirates beat Blue Jays 8-1

TORONTO (AP) — Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds hit two-run home runs, Mitch Keller pitched six strong innings for his fifth straight victory and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a nine-game losing streak against Toronto by beating the Blue Jays 8-1 on Saturday.

After going 4-0 with a 1.30 ERA in four May starts, Keller (7-3) extended his winning streak by allowing one run and five hits. He walked one and struck out eight.

Andrew McCutchen drove in a run and scored twice and Jared Triolo had three hits to help Pittsburgh end Toronto’s winning streak at four with its first victory over the Blue Jays since 2017. Luis L. Ortiz pitched the final three innings for his first career save.

Toronto left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (2-5) allowed a season-worst six runs and matched a season-high by giving up nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. He’s 0-4 in seven starts since his last victory, April 22 at Kansas City.

Hayes homered, his second, off Kikuchi in a three-run first inning. He finished 2 for 4 with two runs.

Edward Olivares added a sacrifice fly in the first for the Pirates. They are 18-13 when they open the scoring.

Reynolds made it 8-1 with a blast off lefty Brendon Little in the ninth. The homer was his eighth.

Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho hit a one-out triple in the first and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked, but Keller struck out Bo Bichette and Daniel Vogelbach.

That extended Toronto’s franchise-worst stretch of empty opening innings to 23. The Blue Jays didn’t score in the first inning in 20 straight games to begin their 1977 expansion season.

Vogelbach ended Keller’s shutout bid with a two-out RBI single in the sixth.

Blue Jays right fielder George Springer made a diving catch on Olivares to end the top of the fifth, then made a similar play to retire Nick Gonzales in the eighth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

The Blue Jays put All-Star closer Jordan Romano on the 15-day IL because of a sore right elbow and recalled Little from Triple-A Buffalo. … Varsho returned to the lineup after being unavailable Friday due to illness.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (5-6, 4.03 ERA) was scheduled to start Sunday in the series finale. The Pirates had not named a starter. Bassitt is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA in four career starts against Pittsburgh.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb