Amid difficult season, Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits first home run at Rogers Centre

TORONTO (AP) — For the first time this season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has homered north of the border.

The 2023 Home Run Derby champion, Guerrero connected off Baltimore’s Trevor Rogers in the fifth inning of Sunday’s 8-1 win.

His 350-foot drive into the left field bullpen was his ninth homer of the season. It came in Toronto’s 75th home game, sparking a celebration in the dugout.

“It looked like it was a walk-off homer,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of his team’s reaction. “Vlad’s our guy. It’s just nice to get that out of the way.”

Guerrero is batting .265 with 56 RBIs in 135 games.

With the sellout crowd of 41,805 cheering his name, Guerrero came out for a curtain call.

“Obviously it means a lot,” Guerrero said through a translator.

It was Guerrero’s 29th career home run against Baltimore, his most against any opponent. The hit would have been a homer in six of the 30 big league stadiums.

Guerrero had eight home runs in 18 postseason games last October as Toronto reached Game 7 of the World Series. Three of those homers came at Rogers Centre, including one in Game 6 of the ALCS against Seattle.

A six-time All-Star, Guerrero last homered in a regular season game in Toronto in a loss to Texas on Aug. 17, 2025.

Guerrero Jr. had his second four-hit game of the season Sunday. He nearly homered in his second at bat, lining a double off the wall in right-center.

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Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. watches his solo home run while playing against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., center bottom, acknowledges the fans after hitting a solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. watches his solo home run while playing against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, is doused by Josh Smith (9) and Myles Straw, back left, after their team defeated the Baltimore Orioles in a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chicago White Sox faded from the postseason with hardly any offense.

After winning the first two games of their best-of-five AL Division Series against Cleveland, Chicago struck out 21 times and managed just three hits in a 2-0 defeat Saturday night that advanced the Guardians to an AL Championship Series matchup against Tampa Bay.

“We wanted it so bad, it hurts,” Chicago catcher Kyle Teel said, shaking his head.

José Ramírez hit a two-run homer off Sean Burke in the fourth inning, and the White Sox became the fourth team in major league history to lose a Division Series after winning the first two games on the road.

Chicago's 21 strikeouts were the most in a nine-inning postseason game and the most in any regular or postseason game since 1900.

Munetaka Murakami and Andrew Benintendi struck out four times each, and Teel and Chase Meidroth three times apiece.

“My intent was to win this game, win this series and fly to Tampa,” White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami said through interpreter Kenzo Yagi. “It's obviously disappointing. Losing this one, there is a lot to learn from it."

Chicago become the first team to each the playoffs after three straight 100-loss seasons. The White Sox swept Houston in the wild card round for their first postseason series win since their 2005 World Series championship.

Ramírez homered on a a knuckle-curve from Burke that was 0.74 feet above the ground.

“He made the right pitch in the right spot," Teel said. "It was a ball in the dirt and he just hit it out.”

The pitch Ramírez homered on was the the lowest hit for a home run in a postseason game since MLB Statcast started tracking in 2008.

“Obviously, it came down to one pitch and one mistake I made today,” Baker said. “He's a really good player. He's probably going to be in the Hall of Fame some day. But it's frustrating.”

Chicago outscored Cleveland 7-3 in the first two games and out-hit the Guardians 12-7. Over the final three games, Cleveland had a 20-8 advantage in runs and out-hit the White Sox 27-17.

"We’re all bummed and sad, knowing we probably should have got the job done,” Chicago shortstop Colton Montgomery said. “They dug deep and did what they did. That’s a good baseball team and they scrapped it out.”

Chicago batters struck out a Division Series record 75 times and hit .194 with runners in scoring position, going 1 for 18 in the last two games. The White Sox loaded the bases in the sixth inning before Erik Sabrowski relieved Williams and struck out Murakami.

“The last few games, there were some opportunities,” Meidroth said. “It stings because this is a family, a brotherhood we have here. We wanted to win for each other and for our fans. Man, there is no better place to play than Chicago and we wanted to keep going.”

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Burke reacts after a home run by Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez during the fourth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami walks back to the dugout after striking out in the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox center fielder Brenton Doyle reacts after striking out in the third inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth dives for a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter during the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) and catcher Kyle Teel (8) watch from the dugout during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)