Miami, FL – Jose Bautista collected two hits, including a solo homer, drove in three runs and scored three times as Toronto pounded Miami, 12-5, in the opener of a three-game interleague series.
Kelly Johnson also knocked in three and J.P. Arencibia added two RBI for the Blue Jays, who rebounded from a series loss at Milwaukee to win for the fifth time in seven games overall.
Brett Lawrie finished 3-for-5 with a triple and a career-best four runs scored to back Ricky Romero (8-1), who allowed seven hits and four runs over seven innings.
Omar Infante launched a two-run blast, while Giancarlo Stanton and Gaby Sanchez also went deep for the Marlins, who slid to their 14th loss in 16 games and continued their descent towards the NL East basement.
Anibal Sanchez (3-6) was rocked for seven hits and six runs, walking four, over 3 1/3 flames.
Hanley Ramirez singled in Gaby Sanchez in the home fifth to bring the hosts within 6-2, but Toronto broke open the game with a five-run sixth.
The bases were loaded with one out after two walks and a hit-by-pitch, then Johnson brought in two with a base hit, Yunel Escobar plated another on a fly to right, Rajai Davis brought in one on a single and Arencibia capped the burst with a two-run double for an 11-2 game.
Infante cleared the wall in left after Justin Ruggiano worked a leadoff walk in the home half, but Bautista countered with two down in the seventh.
Sanchez reached the seats in left with two outs in the eighth, but David Pauley shut the door in the ninth for the Jays.
Lawrie began the game with a triple and scored when Colby Rasmus followed with a grounder to short. It was 3-0 for the visitors in the third on a Bautista RBI single and Johnson sacrifice fly.
Three more came in during the Toronto fourth. Bautista forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk off starter Sanchez, then Edwin Encarnacion walked against Chad Gaudin, then Johnson lofted a sac fly which plated Rasmus.
Miami's only answer was a one-out solo shot from Stanton.
Game Notes
Toronto improved to 5-17 all-time against the Marlins, and 3-7 in south Florida...Sanchez posted a team-best three hits and two runs scored for Miami...Lawrie's previous high was three runs scored, set three times this season, including on June 18 at Milwaukee.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.