Blue Jays 8, Cubs 0
Jose Bautista blasted a three-run homer and rookie right-hander Marcus Stroman tossed a three-hitter as host Toronto claimed the opener of a three-game interleague series.
Dioner Navarro had two hits and two RBIs and Kevin Pillar added two hits and drove in a run for the Blue Jays, who have won seven of their last nine but are five games behind Seattle for the second American League wild card. Stroman (10-5) needed only 93 pitches to finish his first complete game, striking out eight while becoming the first Toronto rookie with double-digit wins since Ricky Romero won 13 in 2009.
Cubs right-hander Jacob Turner (5-9) gave up five runs (four earned) and seven hits over six frames to suffer the loss. Jorge Soler, Mike Olt and Chris Valaika each had a hit for Chicago, which has been outscored 28-7 during a four-game losing streak.
The Blue Jays broke on top with an unearned run in the second, as Adam Lind reached on an error and came around to score on Danny Valencia's RBI single. Navarro's sacrifice fly made it 2-0 in the fourth and Bautista ripped a 2-1 pitch into the second deck in left an inning later for his 200th homer with the Blue Jays and a 5-0 advantage.
Pillar led off the seventh with a double and scored on second baseman Logan Watkins' second error of the night, and Navarro and Pillar each knocked in runs in the eighth to make it 8-0. Stroman gave up a leadoff single to Soler in the second but promptly erased him with a double-play ball and didn't allow another baserunner until Olt's check-swing blooper into right with two outs in the eighth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Bautista has eight home runs during his 12-game hitting streak. … The Blue Jays have homered in 12 straight games, matching their longest streak since a 13-game stretch from June 22-July 5, 2011. … Cubs DH Luis Valbuena went 0-for-3 to end his seven-game hitting streak.