TORONTO (AP) 鈥� Ernie Clement singled in the ninth inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 6-5 victory over Texas on Friday night, ending the defending champion Rangers鈥� winning streak at five.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base four times as the Blue Jays snapped a six-game losing streak against the Rangers.
Justin Turner hit a one-out single off Josh Sborz (2-1) in the ninth and was replaced by Steward Berroa, who stole second.
Sborz exited after walking Guerrero, with Kirby Yates coming on to strike out Danny Jansen for the second out. Spencer Horwitz was intentionally walked to load the bases for Clement, who won it with a first-pitch single to left.
鈥淚 knew he was going to try to throw a strike so I was on go from pitch one,鈥� Clement said. 鈥淚 got a pitch up in the zone and put a good swing on it.鈥�
It was Clement鈥檚 first winning hit in the major leagues and Toronto鈥檚 third game-ending hit this season.
鈥淯nfortunately I didn鈥檛 make a good pitch and we lost the game because of it,鈥� Yates said. 鈥淵ou want it somewhere where he can鈥檛 hit it, preferably down. It wasn鈥檛 down, it was up.鈥�
Yates hadn鈥檛 lost since June 18 against the Mets.
鈥淜irby has done a great job,鈥� Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 always a tough spot when you come in first and second, one out.鈥�
Chad Green (3-2) worked 1 1/3 innings for the victory.
Adolis Garc铆a homered and drove in three runs for Texas.
Garc铆a gave the Rangers a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning with a home run that . The homer was his 18th.
Toronto tied it against Jonathan Hern谩ndez in the seventh when Jansen hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Jacob Latz came on to face Horwitz and kept it tied when Horwitz lined out and Turner was doubled off second base.
Garc铆a opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single off Yusei Kikuchi in the first, driving in Marcus Semien.
The Rangers thought they鈥檇 turned a double play to end the first, but Toronto challenged and the replay showed shortstop Corey Seager hadn鈥檛 touched second base.
Horwitz and Clement made the extra chance count with doubles on consecutive pitches from left-hander Andrew Heaney. Horwitz drove in two and scored on Clement鈥檚 hit.
Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier made a with two runners on in the third.
鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 catch that ball, we鈥檙e looking at a bigger inning,鈥� Bochy said.
Two batters later, Jonah Heim tied it at 3 with a two-run single.
Making what could be his final home start ahead of a potential trade to a contender, Kikuchi allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, extending his run of winless starts to eight. He walked two and struck out five.
Many in the crowd of 35,065 rose for a standing ovation when Kikuchi was replaced by G茅nesis Cabrera.
鈥淚 gave up five runs today and the fans still gave me a standing ovation,鈥� Kikuchi said through a translator. 鈥淚t was a pretty cool moment.鈥�
Heaney allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.
PACK YOUR BAGS
Toronto traded RHP Yimi Garc铆a to Seattle for two minor leaguers, OF Jonatan Clase and C Jacob Sharp. The speedy Clase was assigned to Triple-A Buffalo. Sharp will go to Class-A Vancouver.
Garc铆a, who becomes a free agent after the World Series, said he鈥檇 been expecting a move away from struggling Toronto.
鈥淓verything is packed already,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was ready for it. We packed everything.鈥�
ROSTER MOVES
Toronto recalled RHPs Zach Pop and Yerry Rodr铆guez from Triple-A Buffalo, and optioned RHP Ryan Burr to Triple-A.
TRAINER鈥橲 ROOM
Rangers: OF Evan Carter (back) is shutting down baseball activity until he consults with a specialist, Bochy said. 鈥� 3B Josh Jung (right wrist) went 1 for 3 with a single in the first game of an injury rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (8-8, 4.55 ERA) was scheduled to start Saturday against RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-5, 3.53).
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AP MLB:
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press
