TORONTO (Interstat) — Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run homer for his first career hit, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep. Valdez, promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, connected off Chase Lee in the sixth inning. Spencer Horwitz also homered. Mitch Keller pitched six innings, allowing four hits and one earned run with five strikeouts, to earn the win. Dylan Cease took the loss after 4 2/3 innings. Gregory Soto recorded his fifth save. Pittsburgh scored once in the first and second innings, then two in the sixth. Toronto’s lone run came in the fourth on Ernie Clement’s RBI single. The Pirates had six hits, the Blue Jays five. The game at Rogers Centre lasted 2:50 before an announced crowd of 41,354. Pittsburgh improved to 27-26; Toronto fell to 25-29.