Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer and Alan Roden cracked his first major-league homer as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Tuesday night.
Toronto right-hander Kevin Gausman (2-1) pitched six solid innings to set up Wednesday afternoon’s rubber match of the three-game series. He allowed two runs, six hits and no walks while striking out six.
Roden finished 2-for-3 at the plate as he added a third-inning double and came around to score. Austin Riley, Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies hit solo home runs to account for the Braves’ offense.
Atlanta right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (1-1) entered the game with a 0.45 ERA, but he left after 4 2/3 innings with a 2.55 ERA. He allowed six runs, six hits and two walks while notching three strikeouts.
Atlanta scored first. Riley hit a 3-2 splitter, Gausman’s 11th pitch of the at-bat, to right field for his fifth homer of the season — and third of the series — with one out in the first.
Toronto tied the game in the third. Roden doubled to left center, took third on Bo Bichette’s fly to right and slid home safely on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s high bouncer to third.
Toronto took command with a five-run fifth. Myles Straw led off with a single and Roden smacked a first-pitch curve to right for his first home run. Bichette followed with a double to left center, Guerrero walked on a close pitch and Santander pulled a limp first-pitch cutter over the right-field wall. After a flyout and a groundout, Zach Thompson replaced Schwellenbach and pitched 2 1/3 clean innings.
Olson homered to center on a 3-2 fastball with one out in the sixth.
Toronto relievers Mason Fluharty, Nick Sandlin and Brendon Little handled the seventh and eighth.
Albies led off the ninth with a homer against Chad Green and Drake Baldwin followed with a flyout to deep center that Straw juggled. Bryan De La Cruz singled with two out before the game ended on a popup to first.
Toronto recalled Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday and put Nathan Lukes on the paternity list. Barger played right field and was 0-for-4.
