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Guerrero Jr. hits two-run shot, Scherzer outduels Boyd as Blue Jays edge Cubs 2-1

Guerrero Jr. hits two-run shot, Scherzer outduels Boyd as Blue Jays edge Cubs 2-1

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.
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.
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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.
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