Clement hit Springer RBI singles in the 8th inning to lift Blue Jays past Marlins

Ernie Clement and George Springer had consecutive RBI singles in the eighth inning and the visiting Toronto Blue Jays won 2-0 against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday-evening.

Yusei Kikuchi gave up two hits and struckout six batters in six innings to tie Toronto after falling 11-0 in Monday-evening’s opener. The Blue Jays ended a 19-inning scoreless streak in the eighth inning against Tanner Scott (4-2).

Miami’s Luis Arraez went 1 for 4, dropping his major league batting average to .398. The Marlins had won five in a row.

Santiago Espinal had a pinch one-out double and Clement followed with a pinch RBI single. Clement advanced on centerfielder Garrett Hampson’s throw to the plate and raced home from second on Springer’s broken batting hit to left.

“The guys were ready. It’s a credit to them that they were ready and understood the spots,” said Schneider. “Especially for a guy like Ernie, who doesn’t play much.”

Yimi Garcia (2-3) was the winner and threw the seventh. Erik Swanson gave up Nick Fortes’ one-out double and Joey Wendle’s infield single in the eighth, and Tim Mayza relieved and retired pinch-hitter Jesus Sanchez on a 5-4-3 double play.

Jordan Romano finished with a scoreless ninth for his 21st save.

Kikuchi retired the first nine in a row for Arraez’s lead-off single in the fourth. Arraez was quickly obliterated after Jorge Soler grounded into a double play.

Matt Chapman hit two hits and walked for the Blue Jays.

“Obviously we haven’t been able to score as many points as we would like lately, but to be able to prevent them from scoring points heading into ninth with a two-point lead was great,” said Chapman.

Marlins rookie Eury Perez limited Toronto to three hits and struckout nine batters in his eighth career start. The 20-year-old right-hander was lifted after 80 throws.

“We talk about Arraez all the time, but what this kid did against one of the better lineups in the league was really impressive to watch,” said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker.

Perez gave up two hits to Chapman, who doubled and singled.

“He’s got some really good stuff,” Chapman said. “I was able to stay through that off-speed pitch into the first at bat and the second at bat, I jumped on a fastball. I just tried not to do too much with it.”