TORONTO – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a go-ahead two-run homer and Max Scherzer outduelled fellow starter Matthew Boyd as the Toronto Blue Jays edged the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Thursday afternoon.
With Davis Schneider aboard after a leadoff walk in the seventh inning, Guerrero belted an 0-2 curveball that barely cleared the wall in left-centre field for his 20th homer of the year.
Jeff Hoffman earned his 27th save in 32 opportunities as American League-leading Toronto (71-51) took the rubber game of the three-game interleague series. The Cubs (68-52) have dropped four of their past six games.
Scherzer (3-2) was pulled after giving up a leadoff double to Matt Shaw in the eighth inning.
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Brendon Little and Seranthony Dominguez picked up the next three outs via strikeout, with the latter fanning Carson Kelly with two runners in scoring position.
Michael Busch hit a solo homer for the Cubs. It was his 24th homer of the season.
Scherzer allowed one earned run, five hits, a walk, and had three strikeouts.
Boyd (11-6) allowed two hits and two earned runs over seven innings. He had five strikeouts and one walk.
A sellout crowd of 43,270 took in the action with the roof open at Rogers Centre on a brilliant summer afternoon. The game was completed in a brisk two hours six minutes.
KEY MOMENT
Schneider robbed Canadian rookie Owen Caissie of his first big-league hit in the second inning when he made a highlight-reel diving catch in left field.
Caissie, from nearby Burlington, Ont., was recalled from Triple-A Iowa earlier in the day.
KEY STAT
Boyd started the day with the fourth-lowest earned-run average in the major leagues at 2.45. That number rose a whisker to 2.46.
UP NEXT
The Blue Jays will continue their six-game homestand on Friday night against Texas. Chris Bassitt (11-6, 4.18 ERA) was scheduled to start for Toronto against fellow right-hander Jacob DeGrom (10-5, 2.86).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
