Bo Bichette’s pinch homer in ninth propels Jays over Rangers

Pinch hitter Bo Bichette clubbed a two-run, two-out home run in the ninth inning to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 2-0 win over the anemic Texas Rangers on Wednesday in the rubber game of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Bichette’s homer scored Ernie Clement, who opened the inning with a single off Jacob Webb (2-3), the fifth Texas pitcher. Clement advanced to second on a bunt by Nathan Lukes and was still there after a pop out by pinch hitter Alejandro Kirk.
Bichette’s game-winning round-tripper snapped a 22-inning scoreless drought for Toronto and was just the second hit in scoring position in 31 opportunities in the series. The Blue Jays won two of the three-game set despite scoring just four total runs.
Brendon Little (3-0) was the beneficiary of Bichette’s home run after striking out both batters he faced in the eighth inning. Jeff Hoffman struck out one in a perfect ninth inning to earn his 12th save of the year and the second in this series.
Toronto outhit the Rangers 8-1, with Addison Barger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Nathan Lukes each collecting two hits for the Blue Jays.
Texas’ only hit was a leadoff single in the first by Josh Smith. The Rangers have dropped eight of their past 10 games and scored just three runs in the series with Toronto.
Tyler Mahle returned to form for Texas, surrendering four hits and three walks over his six-inning stint while striking out five. Luke Jackson entered in the seventh and allowed a leadoff single to Lukes, who stole second but was stranded when Hoby Milner relieved for Texas and struck out Daulton Varsho.
Robert Garcia had the eighth for the Rangers and allowed one hit while striking out two.
Rookie Paxton Schultz went the first 2 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays in his initial career start, allowing one hit and striking out four before being relieved by Eric Lauer.
Lauer worked out of a one-out, two-on jam in the sixth to keep the game scoreless. Braydon Fisher allowed a walk while striking out two for the Blue Jays in a 1 1/3-inning appearance before turning over the eighth to Little.
Toronto managed just six runs over its six-game road trip after scoring only two in a three-game series in Tampa Bay from May 23-25.