Blue Jays fall to Pirates as Cease, Guerrero leave with injuries

The Toronto Blue Jays saw their season-high four-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday, falling 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Rogers Centre, but the loss was overshadowed by injuries to starting pitcher Dylan Cease and All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Cease was removed from the game with two outs in the fifth inning due to mild left hamstring discomfort, the team said. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and eight strikeouts before exiting. Guerrero left the game in the bottom of the same inning after being struck by a pitch on the inside of his right elbow. The Blue Jays described the injury as a right elbow contusion, and X-rays came back negative for a fracture.

The Pirates built an early lead with solo home runs from former Blue Jay Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz. Horwitz sent the first pitch of the game over the right-field wall for his fifth home run of the season, and Cruz led off the second inning with his own solo shot to make it 2-0. Ernie Clement drove in the Blue Jays’ only run with an RBI single in the fourth inning.

Pittsburgh rookie Esmerlyn Valdez delivered the decisive blow in the sixth inning, hitting a two-run home...