Blue Jays 5, Dodgers 2
TORONTO -- Kevin Pillar lined a three-run homer in the eighth inning to break a tie and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 on Friday night.
Pillar's homer came against right-hander Joe Blanton (2-2) with one out and the score tied at 2.
Jose Bautista also hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays (16-15), who won their fourth game in a row in taking the opener of the interleague series. The Dodgers (14-15) have lost two straight.
Right-hander Gavin Floyd (1-2) pitched a perfect top of the eighth for Toronto to pick up the win.
Blue Jays right-hander Drew Storen pitched the ninth for his second save of the season despite allowing a leadoff walk to Yasmani Grandal, a one-out single to Joc Pederson and a bunt single by Chase Utley that loaded the bases with two outs. Corey Seager flied out to left to end the game.
Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda allowed only two hits (one was Bautista's two-run homer), four walks and two runs in six innings. He struck out seven.
Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman gave up eight hits, two walks and two runs while striking out eight in seven innings.
Utley, who struck out in his first two plate appearances, led off the sixth with a walk. He was erased when Seager grounded to second to start a double play.
Justin Turner followed with his second single of the game and took second a single by Adrian Gonzalez. The inning ended on a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop by Yasiel Puig.
Maeda walked Josh Donaldson with one out in the sixth before Bautista slammed a 3-2 slider to left center for his sixth homer of the season and a 2-0 Toronto lead.
The Dodgers tied the score in the seventh on two-out doubles by Pederson and Carl Crawford and a single by Utley.
Louis Coleman replaced Maeda in the seventh. After the right-hander retired the first two batters in the inning, left-hander Adam Liberatore took over and hit Ryan Goins with a pitch and allowed Darwin Barney's second single of the game.
A wild pitch put runners at second and third and Michael Saunders drew a walk to load the bases. Blanton entered the game to face Donaldson, who fouled out to first on the first pitch.
After Bautista flied out to deep center, Edwin Encarnacion doubled to left center and Ezequiel Carrera ran for him.
Justin Smoak was intentionally walked and Pillar lined a 1-2 sinker to left for his second homer of the season and a 5-2 Blue Jays lead.
Stroman struck out the first two batters of the game before he allowed a two-out single to Turner in the first. The inning ended when Gonzalez grounded out to second.
Maeda allowed walk to Donaldson in the first and the Blue Jays third baseman promptly stole second. Bautista popped out to shortstop and Encarnacion lined out to third to complete the inning.
Howie Kendrick had an infield hit for the Dodgers with two outs in the second to no result. The Blue Jays did nothing with a leadoff walk to Smoak in the second.
Crawford led off the third with an infield single to short and was caught stealing.
Barley led off the bottom of the third with the Blue Jays' first hit of the game, a single down the right-field line. Puig threw him out as he tried for a double.
NOTES: Toronto INF/OF Andy Burns had his contract selected from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, and RHP Ryan Tepera was returned on option to the Triple-A team. Burns can play all the infield positions as well as the corner outfield spots. His versatility will help during the interleague games in San Francisco next week. His presence also allows the use of a pinch-runner for 1B Justin Smoak when needed. ... Blue Jays INF Ryan Goins started at shortstop Friday with SS Troy Tulowitzki, who is struggling at the plate, given a rest. ...Dodgers LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu faced Class A Rancho Cucamonga hitters Thursday at Dodger Stadium as he comes back from shoulder surgery performed in May 2015. ...Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (3-1, 1.96 ERA) will face Toronto RHP R.A. Dickey (1-3, 5.73) on Saturday in the middle game of the three-game series.