BASEBALL: Phillies pitchers stymie Blue Jays bats for easy win

Adolis García hit a two-run home run, Cristopher Sánchez struck out 10 over seven strong innings, and the visiting Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 on Monday night.

Sánchez (8-2) allowed two runs on four hits and one walk in the opener of a three-game series. He delivered a dominant outing before turning things over to the bullpen with a comfortable lead.

Jhoan Duran worked around a double in the ninth inning to secure his 16th save in as many opportunities this season.

Ernie Clement provided one of Toronto’s few bright spots, hitting a solo home run. The Blue Jays have now gone 2-2 to open their nine-game homestand.

The Phillies struck early against Patrick Corbin (2-3). Bryson Stott doubled with two outs in the second inning, and García followed by crushing a 2-1 slider to left-center field for a two-run homer.

Philadelphia extended its lead to 5-0 in the third inning. Trea Turner and Bryce Harper drew walks, Brandon Marsh was hit by a pitch, and Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto delivered consecutive RBI singles. Stott later walked with the bases loaded to bring in another run.

Toronto got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning. Myles Straw led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on Yohendrick Pinango’s groundout to first base.

Corbin lasted three innings, allowing five runs on four hits while walking four, hitting one batter, and striking out three.

Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins was ejected in the fourth inning by home plate umpire Jansen Visconti.

Clement added his home run in the fifth, driving an 0-1 sinker to left field. The homer marked the first time Sánchez had allowed multiple runs in a game since April 30 and snapped his 50 2/3-inning scoreless streak that ended on June 3.

Pinango opened the sixth with a double to right field and reached third on a fielding error by García, but Sánchez responded by striking out the next three batters to escape the jam.

Simeon Woods Richardson, recently acquired from the Minnesota Twins, allowed one hit over four scoreless relief innings in his debut for Toronto.

Brad Keller took over for Sánchez in the eighth and worked around a walk and a single. Kazuma Okamoto ended the inning with a flyout that reached the warning track in left field.

— Field Level Media / Reuters