Lukes has go-ahead hit in four-run seventh, Okamoto drives in three as Blue Jays beat Reds 6-5

TORONTO (AP) — Nathan Lukes hit a go-ahead single in a four-run seventh inning, Kazuma Okamoto had two hits and three RBIs, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 on Friday night.

Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz stole third base in the third inning to become the fourth player in Reds history with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season.

De La Cruz, who started at DH on Friday, hit his 30th home run in Thursday’s 7-6 win at Atlanta.

Mason Fluharty (7-1) got two outs for the win and Louis Varland worked a 1-2-3 ninth against the top of the lineup for his 35th save in 37 chances.

Alejandro Kirk and Okamoto hit RBI doubles off Nick Lodolo in the first. Cincinnati’s Eugenio Suárez hit a home run in the second to make it 2-1.

The Reds chased José Soriano with a four-run third. De La Cruz hit a two-run double, stole third and scored on Sal Stewart’s single. Héctor Rodríguez drove in the fourth run with a fielder’s choice.

Soriano allowed five runs and eight hits.

Toronto’s seventh began with back-to-back walks issued by Luis Mey (0-2).

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with an RBI single, a hit that was redirected when the bouncing ball was struck by a flying piece of Guerrero’s broken bat.

After George Springer reached on Oswaldo Cabrera’s fielding error, Pierce Johnson replaced Mey. Okamoto greeted Johnson with a tying double to center and Lukes followed with his RBI single.

Before the game, Guerrero apologized for recent comments about his 14-year, $500 million contract. He finished 1 for 5.

Up next

Blue Jays RHP Trey Yesavage (5-5, 3.67 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Reds RHP Rhett Lowder (6-12, 6.01).

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