TORONTO (AP) — Troy Johnston hit a two-run homer, Ezequiel Tovar had three hits and three RBIs, and the Colorado Rockies won for the first time this season by routing the Toronto Blue Jays 14-5 on Monday night.
After losing three straight one-run games in a weekend sweep at Miami, Colorado thumped the previously undefeated Blue Jays to avoid the first 0-4 start in team history. The Rockies are 2-11 all-time in Toronto.
Braxton Fulford also homered as
Colorado finished with 17 hits. The Rockies had 19 hits in three games at Miami.
George Springer, Kazuma Okamota and Andrés Giménez each hit a solo homer for the AL champion Blue Jays. Davis Schneider added a two-run drive.
Toronto pitcher Cody Ponce was carted off the field in the third inning of his first big league appearance since 2021.
Ponce injured his right knee when he stumbled and fell while trying to make a play on Jake McCarthy’s grounder, allowing Kyle Karros to score the first run of the game.
Ponce allowed one run and one hit in 2 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two.
Louis Varland (0-1) replaced Ponce and permitted one run in 1 1/3 innings.
Blue Jays pitchers struck out 10 batters, giving them a major league-record 60 strikeouts through the first four games. The 2000 Cincinnati Reds struck out 59 in their first four games.
Chase Dollander (1-0) pitched the final four innings for Colorado.
After Springer's second homer of the season tied it in the third, Tovar broke the tie by scoring on Ernie Clement's fielding error at second base in the fourth.
The Rockies pulled away with a seven-run sixth, sending 11 batters to the plate, then used six straight hits to score four more against position player Tyler Heineman in the eighth.
RHP Max Scherzer is expected to start for the Blue Jays on Tuesday against Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner.
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