Rangers get past Blue Jays to win series and hand Toronto 6th loss in 9 games

Corey Seager and Ezequiel Duran had four hits each, and the Texas Rangers defeated the visiting Toronto Blue Jays 11-7 on Sunday.

Seager drove in three points and Duran scored three as Texas cleared a 6-0 deficit en route to victory in the rubber game of the weekend set. Leody Taveras added three hits and three RBIs, including a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning and a two-run homer in the seventh.

Duran and Taveras served as the Nos. 8 and 9 batters in a lineup that ended with 15 hits in the team’s biggest comeback win of the season.

Whit Merrifield and Bo Bichette each had two RBIs for Toronto in its sixth loss in nine games. George Springer had two hits and scored two runs.

Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt gave up five runs, three earned runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

It was the Jays’ biggest lead since July 2019, when they led Tampa Bay 8-1 and lost 10-9.

“They did a lot of damage at the bottom of the order,” said Jays manager John Schneider. “You can’t let good offenses roll like that.”

Four Texas relievers combined for 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball after Jon Gray struggled. John King (1-0) threw 3 1/3 hitless innings for the AL West leaders victory.

But Texas scored three runs in the fourth on Seager’s two-run double and an RBI single by Adolis Garcia. The Rangers then went on to stay in the fifth with three more.

Jonah Heim tied the score at 6 with his ninth home run. Taveras singled to Mitch Garver and Marcus Semien’s sacrifice fly gave the Rangers an 8-6 lead.

Taveras’ two-run shot in the eighth against Adam Cimber was his sixth homer this month and No. 8 of the season.

Texas scored in double digits for the 17th time in the major league. It averages a majors-best 6.11 runs per game.

Nate Pearson (4-1) got the loss by recording two outs and giving up three runs and three hits.

Blue Jays designated hitter Spencer Horwitz had a single, two walks and an RBI in his major league-debut. Recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, the 2019 draftee singled in his first at bat.

Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk left in the second inning with a left hand tear and bruise after being hit by a pitch.

The Blue Jays’ three-city trip ends in Miami, where righthander Jose Berrios (7-4, 3.28 ERA) goes for his sixth straight win in Monday’s series opener.