(Interstat) — Springer’s fifth homer of the season staked Toronto to a first-inning lead. Pittsburgh tied it in the sixth on Marcell Ozuna’s RBI double but the Blue Jays answered with three runs, sparked by Jesus Sanchez’s RBI double and Ernie Clement’s run-scoring single. Tyler Heineman added a solo homer in the seventh. Patrick Corbin (2-1) allowed one earned run on five hits over six innings, striking out seven. Jeff Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save. Paul Skenes (6-4) gave up four runs and nine hits in five-plus innings, losing consecutive starts for the first time this season. Pittsburgh added a run in the eighth on a groundout. The Pirates managed only five hits. Toronto improved to 25-27, while Pittsburgh fell to 26-26. The game drew 41,813 and lasted 2 hours, 38 minutes.

TORONTO (Interstat) — Patrick Corbin pitched six strong innings and the Toronto Blue Jays used a three-run sixth inning to break a tie and defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre. Corbin allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out seven, improving his record to 2-1. Jeff Hoffman recorded the final three outs for his fifth save. Paul Skenes took the loss for Pittsburgh, allowing four earned runs on nine hits over five innings with two strikeouts, dropping to 6-4. Toronto improved to 25-27 while Pittsburgh fell to 26-26. The attendance was 41,813, and the game lasted 2 hours 38 minutes. The Blue Jays struck first in the bottom of the first inning. George Springer led off with a home run to left field, his fifth of the season, giving Toronto a 1-0 lead. Daulton Varsho walked but was erased on a double play grounder by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Yohendrick Piñango doubled with two outs but was left stranded when Jesús Sánchez lined out to center. Pittsburgh threatened in the top of the second but could not score. Spencer Horwitz singled and Jhostynxon Garcia singled, putting runners on first and second with one out. But Jared Triolo struck out, Esmerlyn Valdez flied out, and Henry Davis popped out. The Pirates finally tied the game in the top of the sixth. With one out, Bryan Reynolds singled. Marcell Ozuna followed with a double to right field, scoring Reynolds to make it 1-1. Horwitz grounded out to end the inning. Toronto answered immediately in the bottom of the sixth, seizing control of the game. Guerrero led off with a single. Piñango singled, moving Guerrero to second. Sánchez then doubled to right, scoring Guerrero and sending Piñango to third, tying the game at 2-2. Ernie Clement singled to left, scoring Piñango and giving the Blue Jays a 3-2 lead. Andrés Giménez grounded into a double play, but Sánchez scored on the play to make it 4-2. Lenyn Sosa struck out to end the inning. The Blue Jays added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Tyler Heineman led off with a home run to right field, his first of the season, extending the lead to 5-2. After a Springer groundout and a Varsho groundout, Guerrero singled but was picked off second base to end the inning. Pittsburgh made one final push in the top of the eighth. Konnor Griffin walked and Bryan Reynolds walked, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Ozuna grounded out to first, scoring Griffin and cutting the deficit to 5-3. Horwitz was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. But Garcia grounded out to end the inning. The Pirates went down in order in the ninth against Hoffman, who struck out three batters. Key performances for Toronto included Sánchez going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Springer was 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Hoffman struck out three in a perfect ninth inning. Braydon Fisher pitched a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts, and Adam Macko recorded one out in the eighth. Yariel Rodríguez got two outs in the eighth without allowing a hit. For Pittsburgh, Evan Sisk pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings with one strikeout. Yohan Ramírez allowed one earned run over 1 2/3 innings with one strikeout. Reynolds had two of the Pirates’ five hits. Corbin’s outing was a bounce-back performance after two consecutive losses. On May 18 at New York, he allowed three earned runs in four innings. On May 12 against Tampa Bay, he gave up three earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. The Blue Jays have now won three straight games after dropping four of five. The Pirates have lost two in a row following a three-game winning streak. Pittsburgh had won the opener of the series Friday by a 6-2 score. The teams conclude the three-game series Sunday. The Pirates next host the Chicago Cubs for four games starting Monday, then host the Minnesota Twins for three games. The Blue Jays remain at home to play the Miami Marlins for three games beginning Monday, then travel to Baltimore for four games. The Interstat game simulator projected a final score of Pittsburgh 5, Toronto 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Toronto a 59.20 percent probability to win. Pittsburgh was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of seven runs went over the over/under line of 7.5.

TORONTO (Interstat) — The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday evening at Rogers Centre, with right-hander Paul Skenes (6-3) scheduled to start for the visitors. Pittsburgh (26-24) looks to even the series after losing 3-1 to Toronto on Friday. The Blue Jays (23-27) aim for a second straight win after taking that opener. Skenes has been Pittsburgh’s most consistent starter, while Toronto counters with a bullpen game that could feature reliever Spencer Miles, who has not allowed an earned run in his past three appearances (7 2/3 innings, 10 strikeouts). Pittsburgh comes in after a 6-2 win Thursday at St. Louis, where right-hander Braxton Ashcraft threw seven innings of four-hit ball, striking out nine. Ashcraft, a player to watch in this series, is 3-1 in his last four starts with a 1.72 ERA over 25 1/3 innings. Toronto blanked the New York Yankees 2-0 on Thursday, with Miles tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out six. The Blue Jays have won four of their last five. Friday’s series opener saw Toronto score three runs on five hits, while Pittsburgh managed one run on four hits. The Blue Jays bullpen combined for four shutout innings. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-4 Pittsburgh victory. Pittsburgh’s offense has been inconsistent, scoring six or more runs four times in its past six games but being shut out twice by Philadelphia last weekend. Brandon Lowe went 2-for-4 with a home run in Thursday’s win. Toronto’s lineup has been held to three runs or fewer in four of its last six games. The Blue Jays’ bullpen has been sharp, posting a 1.67 ERA over the past week. After Saturday’s game, the teams complete the series Sunday afternoon. Pittsburgh then returns home for a four-game set against the Chicago Cubs, while Toronto hosts the Miami Marlins for three games.