Slade Cecconi, Guardians lose rubber match to Blue Jays

TORONTO — Right-hander Slade Cecconi looked like he was on the road to recovery before running out of gas in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon. Cecconi, who has struggled to start the season, allowed a two-run homer to Jesús Sánchez to break a tie, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits, as the Guardians dropped a series-clinching 4-2 decision to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Guerrero led off the sixth inning with a double and Sánchez followed with his 355-foot blast to right field. It was Sánchez's fourth homer of the season and second of the series, which the Blue Jays won two games to one. "It's a gut punch to see it end the way it did," Cecconi said, "because I did feel like I was on a roll and back to myself. "(I'm) just working on getting that curveball back to where it needs to be. That's the last piece — I feel like for me right now — is getting that pitch back to the weapon that it was last year." It was Toronto's second straight series victory after dropping its previous six. Blue Jays left-hander Patrick Corbin allowed two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four. Braydon Fisher (1-0) worked out of a bases-loaded jam to finish the fifth and completed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Tyler Rogers handled the seventh. Jeff Hoffman, who was recently moved out of the closer role, pitched a scoreless eighth. Louis Varland earned his third save after working around a leadoff single in the ninth. The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the first inning on Guerrero's RBI single to left field. Toronto added another run on a sacrifice fly from Sánchez. Cleveland tied it in the fifth after RBIs from Brayan Rocchio and Angel Martínez, who had two hits in the game. Cecconi (0-4) allowed four runs and six hits with a walk and five strikeouts. "I thought we saw a lot of good out of Slade today," manager Stephen Vogt said. "Obviously, the first inning and sixth inning weren't his best, but I thought (innings) two through five he was as good as we've seen him so far this year." Blue Jays left fielder Yohendrick Piñango, making his major league debut, recorded his first career MLB hit with a single in the fourth inning. After dropping two of three to the Jays, the Guardians open a three-game series today against Tampa Bay at home "This was a back and forth weekend on both sides, and it's unfortunate we're walking out of here with two losses," Vogt said. "We need to regroup. We need to get better, and keep our heads up and be ready for Tampa." Up next Cleveland: LHP Parker Messick (3-0, 1.76 ERA) is scheduled to start against Tampa Bay today. LHP Steven Matz (3-1, 4.81) will start for the Rays. Toronto: RHP Dylan Cease (1-0, 2.10 ERA) is scheduled to start against Boston today. LHP Ranger Suárez (1-2, 4.00) will start for the Rex Sox.