By Canadian Press

Merrifield has 4 RBIs, Blue Jays win 10-1, Pirates skid at 7

May 7, 2023 | 3:30 PM

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Whit Merrifield had four RBIs, three on his first home run this season, and the Toronto Blue Jays routed Pittsburgh 10-1 Sunday for a three-game sweep that extended the Pirates’ losing streak to seven.

Merrifield put the Blue Jays ahead with a run-scoring infield single in the first following a 95-minute rain delay and opened a 4-0 lead in the third when he sent a hanging curveball from Roansy Contreras (3-3) into the left-field bleachers. The two-time All-Star last had four RBIs on Aug. 25, 2021, while with the Kansas City Royals.

Toronto outscored Pittsburgh 22-3 during the sweep, bouncing back from five straight losses. The Pirates have been outscored 44-9 during their longest skid since eight straight losses last Sept. 15-23. They began the season 20-8, their best start since winning a 1992 division title.

Yusei Kikuchi (5-0) allowed four hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings after giving up five runs in just 4 1/3 innings to the Boston Red Sox on May 2.

Contreras gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings. He’s been tagged for nine runs in 10 1/3 innings his past two starts.

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Carlos Santana had an RBI single in the eighth. Jordan Romano came in with the bases loaded to strike out Jack Suwinski and get Miguel Andujar to pop to third.

Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier each had a two-run homer in a five-run ninth. Varsho drove a slider from Chase De Jong over the Clemente Wall, bouncing the ball into the Allegheny River for his fifth home run this season.

Bryan Reynolds went 0 for 4, ending an 11-game hitting streak dating to April 22, four days before the outfielder signed a $106.75 million, eight-year contract.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: INF Vladimir Guerrero Jr. missed a second straight game because of left wrist discomfort. He was a late scratch for an 8-2 win on Saturday after going 1-for-4 with an RBI in a 4-0 victory on Friday.

Pirates: OF/DH Andrew McCutchen walked in a pinch-hit appearance in the eighth after missing the previous two games with a sprained left ankle.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Alek Manoah (1-2, 4.71) will start Tuesday as Toronto travels across Pennsylvania for the first of a two-game set against Philadelphia.

Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (3-1, 3.32) will take the mound Monday to start a three-game series against Colorado.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Wes Crosby, The Associated Press