Guerrero hits MLB-leading 45th HR, Blue Jays rout Rays 8-1

TORONTO (AP) — All on one swing, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. topped his Hall of Fame father and moved ahead of Shohei Ohtani.

Guerrero hit his major league-leading 45th home run, Alek Manoah set a career high by pitching eight shutout innings and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1 on Monday night.

Teoscar Hernández had his first career five-hit game and Bo Bichette added a solo home run, his 24th, as the surging Blue Jays improved to 12-1 in September.

“Tonight, in all facets of the game, the Blue Jays just dominated us,” Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier said.

The AL East-leading Rays lost for the fourth time in five games and are 5-7 this month after going 21-6 in August.

“We hate losing games, don’t get me wrong,” Kiermaier said, “but no one is hanging their head or slouching their shoulders after the last four or five days.”

Facing left-hander Adam Conley in the sixth, Guerrero lined a 3-1 pitch down the left-field line, breaking a tie with Ohtani, the Angels' two-way star, for most home runs in the big leagues.

Guerrero’s homer had a launch angle of 15 degrees, tying San Diego’s Manny Machado (Aug. 20 against Philadelphia) for the lowest on a home run that cleared the fence this season.

“I think the third baseman jumped,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “I thought it was going to hit the wall — there was no way it was going out. When it went out I went, ‘Oh my God.’ Not many people can do that.”

With his homer, Guerrero also eclipsed the single-season high set by his dad with Montreal in 2000. The drive came off the bat at 113.9 mph and was projected at 356 feet.

Toronto leads the majors with 232 home runs this year.

Kiermaier climbed the wall to make a spectacular catch on Lourdes Gurriel...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Guerrero-hits-MLB-leading-45th-HR-Blue-Jays-rout-16456606.php