For the first time in 15 months, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin has picked up a win.
Ryu gave up two runs on two hits against the Chicago Cubs at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sunday, helping them to an 11-4 victory in his third start back from Tommy John surgery. Both of the Cubs' runs against Ryu were unearned, as they were scored after an error by first baseman Brandon Belt in the first inning. Ryu struck out three and walked two while lowering his ERA from 4.00 to 2.57 for the season.
Ryu's previous victory had come May 26, 2022, against the Los Angeles Angels.
Ryu underwent his elbow surgery in June last year and came back on Aug. 1 this year against the Baltimore Orioles. Ryu took the loss then, after allowing four runs on nine hits in five innings.
Ryu performed much better in his next outing, against the Cleveland Guardians last Monday. His day was cut short after four no-hit innings, though, as he was struck by a line drive in the right knee.
Ryu was diagnosed with a right knee contusion but suffered no structural damage. And the left-hander didn't look much worse for wear against the Cubs.
He allowed both runs in the top of the first inning.
After striking out Christopher Morel to start the game, Ryu walked Nico Hoerner. He then got Ian Happ to chop a grounder toward Belt, who failed to get his glove on an in-between hop and let the ball scoot past him.
Ryu retired cleanup hitter Cody Bellinger on a flyout to left but couldn't get past Dansby Swanson, who drilled a double down the left field line for a 2-0 Cubs lead.
Ryu retired the side in order in the top of the second, and his teammates erased the deficit with a five-spot in the bottom half of that inning.
Daulton Varsho put the Blue Jays on the board with one swing of the bat, drilling a three-run home run off starter Jameson Taillon. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer each added an RBI single that inning, as the Jays sent 10 batters to the plate.
Ryu pitched around a one-out single in the third inning, and a leadoff walk to Bellinger in the fourth inning amounted to nothing as Ryu retired the next three batters.
The Blue Jays lineup gave Ryu even more breathing room in the fourth. Guerrero Jr. delivered an RBI single for a 6-2 lead, and Varsho came through with a two-run single with the bases loaded to put his team up 8-2.
Ryu worked a tidy fifth inning, with a couple of groundouts and a flyout. And with his pitch count having reached a season-high 86 and the team up by six runs, the Blue Jays went with the bullpen to begin the sixth inning.
Four relievers held the Cubs to two runs on three hits over the final four frames, while the Blue Jays tacked on three more runs in the eighth for the comfortable win. (Yonhap)
