Kazuma Okamoto delivered a power-packed night at the plate, blasting a pair of doubles and driving in three runs to carry the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Late surge turns the tide
Toronto built an early cushion when Alejandro Kirk and Okamoto each produced an RBI double in the first inning to stake the home side to a 2-0 lead. The Reds rallied through the middle innings, plating five runs against starter Jose Soriano, who departed after three innings having given up five runs on eight hits.
The game’s decisive sequence came in the seventh. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Okamoto and Nathan Lukes delivered run-producing hits in a four-run frame that reclaimed the lead for the Blue Jays and ultimately proved the difference.
| Player | Stat |
|---|---|
| Kazuma Okamoto | 2 doubles, 3 RBI (season total: 92 RBI) |
| Jose Soriano | 3 IP, 5 R, 8 H |
| Nick Lodolo | 5 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 2 BB |
Relievers Brendan Cellucci, Chad Dallas, Mason Fluharty, Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland combined to protect the lead for Toronto and finish off the comeback. Cincinnati starter Nick Lodolo allowed two runs over five innings, surrendering seven hits and two walks but managing to limit further damage from the Blue Jays bats.
Momentum, miscues and reaction
Cincinnati struck early and decisively through the first three frames. Eugenio Suarez clubbed a solo homer in the second, while Elly De La Cruz ripped a two-run double in the third. Sal Stewart and Hector Rodriguez also contributed RBI in that stretch as the Reds briefly seized control.
But once Toronto turned to its bullpen, the Reds’ offence struggled to sustain contact. The Blue Jays, for their part, repeatedly put pressure on Cincinnati—loading the bases twice in the second and again in the third—only to leave potential runs stranded until the seventh inning surge.
- Game-winner: Okamoto’s seventh-inning double off the left-centre wall produced two runs and tied the game at 5-5 earlier in the frame.
- Key defensive/outlet support: Toronto’s bullpen settled after a rocky start from Soriano, allowing the club to retake and hold the lead.
- Standout stat: Okamoto now sits at 92 RBIs in his rookie season, comfortably leading the Blue Jays’ lineup in runs batted in.
There was an off-field subplot surrounding Guerrero Jr., who issued an apology before the game for remarks on a Spanish-language podcast earlier in the week. He met a mixed reception from fans when he first stepped to the plate and drew loud boos after two strikeouts, but the atmosphere shifted late as the Rogers Centre crowd chanted his name before he delivered an RBI single in the seventh.
For Cincinnati, relievers Luis Mey (who absorbed the loss), Pierce Johnson and Graham Ashcraft took over after Lodolo exited. The Reds leave Toronto with a narrow defeat but showed offensive sparks during the early innings that briefly threatened to turn the night into a rout.
With the win, the Blue Jays improved to 78-82 while the Reds fell to 74-86. Toronto will hand the ball to Trey Yesavage (5-5) on Saturday afternoon in the club’s penultimate game of the series.
This game laid bare two familiar themes for both clubs: the Blue Jays’ ability to rally when their lineup finds traction, and the volatility of starting pitching that leaves games hinging on bullpens and late-inning execution.
