Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Daulton Varsho celebrates with centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier, left, and right fielder Cavan Biggio, right, after defeating the San Diego Padres 5-1 at Petco Park on April 19, 2024..Orlando Ramirez/Reuters
Justin Turner hit a solo homer and drove in another run with a single as the Toronto Blue Jays won for the fifth time in six games, beating the San Diego Padres 5-1 on Friday night.
Toronto reliver Bowden Francis (2-2) picked up the win, allowing one hit and no runs in two innings.
San Diego starter Matt Waldron (0-2) took the loss. The 27-year-old right-hander allowed seven hits and five runs in 4⅔ innings. The Padres, who had won five of their last seven games before Friday, are 0-4 in Waldron’s starts this season.
Turner hit a solo homer in the first inning before the Blue Jays broke the game open in the second, scoring four runs off Waldron. The key blows in the inning were a two-run double by Kevin Kiermaier and a run-scoring single by Turner.
Toronto’s Yariel Rodriguez, making his second start, pitched well in a no-decision. The 27-year-old righty gave up three hits and one run while striking out seven over four innings.
Rodriguez, who in 2023 pitched for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic but did not play professionally, gave up a solo homer to Fernando Tatis Jr. in the third inning.
The Blue Jays outslugged the Padres, finishing with an 11-5 advantage in hits.
San Diego’s Manny Machado had his 11-game hitting streak halted, going 0 for 4.
Trainer’s room
Blue Jays: LHP Ricky Tiedemann (club’s No. 1 prospect) had an MRI on his elbow on Thursday and was placed on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Buffalo. The team is waiting for the MRI results. ... OF George Springer was not in the starting lineup due to illness.
Padres: 1B Jake Cronenworth returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games because of right leg soreness. After an off-day on Thursday, Cronenworth passed all tests in pregame drills.
Up next
The Blue Jays will send RHP Jose Berrios (3-0, 1.05) to the mound in the second game of the series on Saturday. The Padres have not named a starter.