Blue Jays spoil Bautista's return with comeback win over Mets
TORONTO (AP) Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the New York Mets 8-6 on Tuesday night.
Yangervis Solarte hit a game-tying three-run home run off Robert Gsellman in the seventh before Gurriel Jr. went deep off Tim Peterson (1-1) in the eighth as the Blue Jays won for the 11th time in 14 home games.
The struggling Mets have lost 11 of 13.
John Axford (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings to earn the win. Tyler Clippard got the final out for his sixth save in 10 opportunities, stranding runners at first and second.
Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings but was denied his first victory since April 29 at San Diego.
Asdrubal Cabrera and Devin Morasco each hit two-run home runs and Wilmer Flores added a solo shot for the Mets.
Cabrera connected against Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada in the first and Morasco homered off Jake Petricka in the second.
Estrada was removed after 12 pitches because of a sore left hip. He faced three batters and got one out. Estrada allowed two runs and one hit.
Petricka replaced Estrada and pitched 2 2/3 innings.
Mets outfielder Jose Bautista went 1 for 2 with a single and three walks in his first game in Toronto since leaving the Blue Jays at the end of last season, ending a 10-year run north of the border.
The crowd of 24,010 gave Bautista a standing ovation before his first at bat. The two-time home run champion took off his batting helmet and acknowledged both the fans and the Blue Jays dugout before drawing a five-pitch walk and scoring on Cabrera's 15th homer.
Bautista made a diving catch to retire Russell Martin for the final out of the second but was charged with a two-base error when Randal Grichuk's single skipped past him and rolled to the wall in the seventh.
Anthony Swarzak replaced Wheeler following the error and gave up an RBI groundout by Gurriel. Devon Travis walked, went to third on Curtis Granderson's double and scored on a wild pitch. Swarzak left after walking Teoscar Hernandez. Gsellman came on to surrender Solarte's tying homer, his 16th.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: OF Yoenis Cespedes (right hip) felt fine after running a series of sprints Monday, manager Mickey Callaway said. It was the first time Cespedes had run since leaving a minor league rehab game June 9. ... RHP Noah Syndergaard (right index finger) and LHP Jason Vargas (right calf) faced each other in a simulated game at the Mets' spring training facility in Florida Tuesday. Syndergaard threw 50 pitches and Vargas threw 65.
Blue Jays: Minor league 3B prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (left knee) has resumed batting practice and is expected to participate in infield drills this weekend. Guerrero Jr. is working out at Toronto's spring training facility in Florida.
UP NEXT
Mets RHP Corey Oswalt (0-1, 9.82) faces Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (1-5, 6.02) in Wednesday's series finale. Oswalt made his major league debut against Miami on June 29, allowing six runs in 2 2/3 innings. Stroman won for the first time this season in his previous outing, pitching seven innings against Detroit.
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