TORONTO - In a game between teams on extended home run binges, a well-placed chopper down the line proved pivotal.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a go-ahead, two-run triple in the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 5-4 Saturday, handing New York its second straight loss following a season-high nine game winning streak.
"That was a big hit from Vlad today," said manager Charlie Montoyo, whose Blue Jays have won nine of 13. "The last two days have been awesome for this team, for the young kids, playing the best team in baseball and fighting back."
Guerrero Jr. leads all big league rookies with 26 RBIs since the All-Star break.
Gary Sanchez returned from injured list and hit a solo home run for the Yankees and Gio Urshela added a two-run drive.
The Blue Jays trailed 4-3 in the seventh when Bo Bichette drew a one-out walk from Adam Ottavino, Cavan Biggio singled and Guerrero Jr. hit an 0-2 grounder down the first base line and into foul territory. Right fielder Aaron Judge initially mishandled the ball against a side wall, and Guerrero slid in safely for the first triple of his career.
"I think it was a good pitch," Sanchez said through a translator. "A defensive swing by him and he was able to put the ball in play. It stayed inside the line and went down the line. Part of the game. Sometimes those things are going to happen where the ball is not hit solid but still finds a hole."
The Yankees had gone ahead on DJ LeMahieu's sacrifice fly in the top of the inning, but Ottavino (5-4) couldn't make it stand up. The right-hander allowed a run for the first time in 16 appearances, a streak that dated to July 2 against the Mets.
Ottavino put both hands on his head as he watched Guerrero's roll past first base.
"By the time I looked up, I saw that the ball was over in that area," Ottavino said. "I looked over, I saw (the umpire) call it fair. I was kind of in a little bit of disbelief."
Teoscar Hernandez hit a three-run homer for the Blue Jays, who have gone deep in 15 consecutive games. It is Toronto's longest such streak since a 19-game run in 2010.
Blue Jays batters have hit 99 home runs since June 16. Only the Yankees (100) have hit more in that span.
Angel 12, Red Sox 4
BOSTON - Mike Trout can cross Fenway Park off his home run to-do list.
Trout hit the first home run of his career at Fenway and the Los Angeles Angels snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 12-4 rout of the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
With his 428-foot drive over the Green Monster in the sixth inning, Trout has now homered in every American League ballpark. He had played 21 games in Boston without connecting.
"I didn't think about it," Trout said. "I think I got reminded about it every time I've come here."
After two at-bats against Red Sox starter Rick Porcello in which he struck out and grounded out, Trout came up again and Porcello missed on a fastball that went straight over the middle of the plate.
Trout made him pay for it.
"I hit it good," Trout said. "He pitched me tough my first two at-bats. I was looking for a pitch to hit and I got one."
Trout was replaced in the seventh, having been hit in his shoulder by a pitcher earlier in the game. Trout was feeling fine.
Justin Upton added a three-run homer in the first inning.
The Angels scored seven times in a sloppy seventh inning by Boston in which it issued two walks, hit two batters and gave up four singles. The Red Sox also had an error and a passed ball.
Giants 3, Phillies 1
SAN FRANCISCO- Jeff Samardzija spent extra time watching video, and it paid off.
He pitched eight stellar innings of two-hit ball, Evan Longoria and Kevin Pillar each homered, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Saturday.
Samardzija (9-9) gave up one run, struck out five and walked none. He retired 20 straight after giving up a solo homer to Corey Dickerson with two outs in the top of the first inning. Samardzija's streak ended with César Hernndez's one-out single in the eighth.
Samardzija was facing the Phillies for the second time in less than two weeks. He pitched six shutout innings of three-hit ball in a 5-1 win at Citizens Bank Park on July 31.
"I went back and watched the film and just saw a couple of spots where we could improve on, and ultimately do a little bit different there so we're not doing exactly the same stuff," Samardzija said.
"A very dangerous lineup, so really you can't really let off the gas and I didn't do that today."
The 34-year-old right-hander is 5-2 with a 1.95 ERA in eight starts since July 1. He's 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 19 strikeouts over his last four starts.
"They just saw him and he threw another beauty," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
"He's in a really good place as far as commanding the ball, all four pitches . That was just a great job of executing your pitches for eight innings."
Vince Velasquez (4-7) gave up three runs in five innings of three-hit ball. He struck out three and walked one.
Pillar homered leading off the fifth off Velasquez to give San Francisco a 3-1 lead. Pillar golfed an 0-2 slider below his knees for his 15th homer and career-high 60th RBI.
The Giants took a 2-1 lead on Longoria's two run homer to left off Velasquez in the second. His 14th homer came on a hanging slider.
Marlins 7, Braves 6
MIAMI - This was the Sandy Alcantara the Miami Marlins want to see.
On the attack. Pounding the strike zone. Getting ahead in counts. Forcing soft contact. Showcasing his talent from the start.
And fortunately for Alcantara, the Marlins' offense found just enough life at just the right time against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night.
The Marlins used a four-run ninth inning to force extra innings and Martin Prado sealed the come-from-behind win with a walk-off sacrifice fly to score Harold Ramirez for the 7-6, 10-inning win. All 13 runs were scored after the seventh inning.
The Marlins (44-72) have won two of three against the Braves (69-50) and can take the four-game series with a win in Sunday's 1:10 p.m. finale.
Ramirez led off with a single and reached third on a failed pickoff attempt by Sean Newcomb.
The Braves did all their damage on Alcantara with two outs in the eighth inning. Alcantara had Charlie Culberson on second base following a single and Ronald Acuna Jr on first after an intentional walk.
On his seventh pitch of the at-bat - and 106th and final pitch of the night - Albies hit a shallow line drive past shortstop Deven Marrero for an RBI double to score Culberson and break open a scoreless tie.
Albies and Acuna scored on a first-pitch single by Freddie Freeman off reliever Jarlin Garcia. Both runs were charged to Alcantara since he put them on base.
Johan Camargo gave the Braves breathing room with a two-out, pinch-hit, three-run home run in the ninth off Ryne Stanek, who walked Brian McCann and Ender Inciarte earlier in the inning and gave up four total walks before being pulled for Jose Quijada after recording just two outs.