Varsho has 5 RBIs, Ryu gets first win since surgery as Jays avoid sweep, beat Cubs 11-4 #Varsho #RBIs #Ryu #win #surgery #Jays #avoid #sweep #beat #Cubs

TORONTO (AP) — Daulton Varsho homered and had five RBIs, Hyun Jin Ryu pitched five innings to win for the first time since returning from elbow surgery, and the Toronto Blue Jays avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Chicago Cubs 11-4 on Sunday.

Whit Merrifield had four hits, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits and two RBIs and Brandon Belt reached base four times as the Blue Jays used 14 hits to snap a three-game losing streak.

The Cubs lost for the seventh time in 25 games. Chicago is 19-10 since the All-Star break and 8-4 in August.

Varsho hit a three-run home run off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon (7-7) in Toronto’s five-run second inning, then added a two-run single off righty Hayden Wesneski in the fourth.

Chicago’s Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run home run off right-hander Jay Jackson in the seventh, his 20th.

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson had two hits, including a two-run double in the first. Belt’s fielding error at first base on Ian Happ’s grounder meant the runs were unearned.

Ryu (1-1) allowed two runs, none earned, and two hits in his third start since returning Aug. 1 against Baltimore. The left-hander walked two and struck out three for his first big league victory since a road win against the Angels on May 26, 2022. Ryu had Tommy John surgery less than a month later.

Génesis Cabrera pitched the sixth, Jackson went one inning, Erik Swanson worked the eighth and Nate Pearson finished.

Taillon came in 4-1 with a 3.19 ERA in six career starts in Toronto but didn’t fare well in his latest game north of the border. The right-hander gave up a season-high eight earned runs on eight hits in three-plus innings, leaving after three straight singles in the fourth. Taillon walked two and struck out two.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: RHP Marcus Stroman (right hip) threw a light bullpen session Sunday and remains on track to come off the IL and start Wednesday against the White Sox, manager David Ross said.

Blue Jays: 3B Matt Chapman was scratched because of inflammation in his right middle finger. Santiago Espinal moved from shortstop to third and Paul DeJong started at short.

DEJONG DELIVERS

DeJong snapped an 0 for 20 streak with an RBI single in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 3.96 ERA) starts Tuesday when the White Sox head north to visit Wrigley Field. RHP Touki Toussaint (1-4, 4.22) starts for the White Sox.

Blue Jays: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-4, 3.53 ERA) starts Tuesday as Toronto hosts Philadelphia. RHP Zack Wheeler (9-5, 3.74) goes for the Phillies.