Sanchez ignites Jays with first grand slam in 8-1 win over Marlins

TORONTO — Jesus Sanchez punctuated a productive six-run sixth inning with his first career grand slam, a 394-foot liner down the right-field line, in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 8-1 victory against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.

Ernie Clement and Yohendrick Pinango also hit solo homers as the Blue Jays (26-29) snapped their two-game slide and ended the Marlins’ (26-30) season-high four-game victory streak before 42,814 at Rogers Centre.

All three homers came off Miami starter Sandy Alcantara (3-4), who didn’t make any friends in the Blue Jays dugout after plunking George Springer, Sanchez, Lenyn Sosa and Kazuma Okamoto.

Alcantara went 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs on 10 hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Spencer Miles (2-0) enjoyed another strong outing. Braydon Fisher opened with a shutout first, and then gave way to Miles. After a walk, Miles retired the next nine batters before Jacob Marsee opened the fifth with a single to left and eventually scored.

In his 66-pitch effort, Miles allowed a run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Clement smacked his second homer in successive games to lead off the second inning, and Pinango knocked his second of the year to begin the big sixth inning. George Springer led Toronto’s 12-hit attack with three singles. The Jays had two errors in the game.

TAKEAWAYS

Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t start for the second straight game after getting hit on the elbow in the series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

Marlins: Canadian Otto Lopez of Montreal increased his Major League Baseball-leading hit total to 71 with an infield single in the first inning.

KEY MOMENT

With runners on first and third and two out, Toronto reliever Adam Macko coaxed his fellow Canadian, Liam Hicks, into a groundout to end the fifth inning to keep the home side in front 2-1.

KEY STAT

With his fifth homer of the season, Clement extended his hit streak to nine games. He has batted 12 for 31 (. 387) with three homers, four doubles, eight RBIs and two walks during this stretch.

UP NEXT

Kevin Gausman (4-3) will start the series finale rubber match for the Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon. Miami will counter with righty Eury Perez (3-6).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2026.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press