Game result and context
Blue Jays blank Guardians 11-0, sit 1.5 games out of a wild-card spot
The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Guardians 11-0 at Progressive Field. A five-run second inning, keyed by a three-run homer from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., broke the game open. Dylan Cease worked six scoreless innings for his 10th win. Toronto moved to 69-71 and sits 1.5 games back in the wild-card race, while Cleveland fell to 70-69 but still holds the third wild-card position.
Final result
The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Cleveland Guardians 11-0 at Progressive Field. Toronto improved to 69-71. Cleveland dropped to 70-69.
The Blue Jays scored in six of the nine innings, while the Guardians never got a run across. Attendance was 17,248.
How the game changed
Toronto scored once in the first, then turned the game in the second with five runs. The big swing was a three-run home run from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the top of the second.
The Blue Jays added a run in the third, two more in the sixth, and one each in the eighth and ninth. Josh Smith supplied the other home run, a solo shot in the top of the eighth. Toronto finished with two home runs; Cleveland had none.
Key performances
Guerrero led the offense with three hits in four at-bats, a run scored, a home run and five RBIs.
Dylan Cease earned the win, improving to 10-5. He pitched 6.0 innings, struck out four and allowed no earned runs.
Myles Straw had two hits in three at-bats, scored twice and drove in a run. Nathan Lukes had two hits in five at-bats with an RBI. Smith finished with one hit in two at-bats, a run and an RBI.
For Cleveland, Joey Cantillo took the loss and fell to 9-8. He went 5.1 innings with six strikeouts and four earned runs allowed.
Season and playoff context
In the current standings, Cleveland sits second in its division, 3.0 games back, and holds the third wild-card position. Its division elimination number is 20.
Toronto is fourth in its division, 14.5 games back, and fifth in the wild-card standings, 1.5 games back. The Blue Jays' division elimination number is 8, and their wild-card elimination number is 19. The lopsided result kept Toronto close in the wild-card race against a team currently holding a spot.
Series context
This was Game 2 of a three-game regular-season series between the Blue Jays and Guardians at Progressive Field.