Toronto’s Josh Smith homers as Blue Jays edge Phillies 5‑4

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Josh Smith went 3 for 4 with a home run and scored three times as the Toronto Blue Jays held off the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. Toronto outhit Philadelphia 9-5.

The Blue Jays scored single runs in the second, third, fourth, sixth and eighth innings. Toronto used two sacrifice flies, including one by Alejandro Kirk in the sixth that gave the Blue Jays a 4-2 lead. Smith’s homer in the eighth extended the lead to three.

José Soriano was Toronto’s top star, tossing 4 2/3 innings and allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out three. Lazaro Estrada (1-0) earned the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Tyler Rogers notched his fourth save.

Zack Wheeler (10-3) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. J.T. Realmuto drove in a run with a second-inning single, and Bryce Harper had two RBIs, including a ninth-inning single that pulled Philadelphia within one. Trea Turner also drove in a run during the ninth-inning rally.

Toronto improved to 55-62 while Philadelphia fell to 62-55. Attendance was 43,641, and the game lasted 3:20.