TORONTO — Joc Pederson, Wyatt Langford and Jake Burger each homered early to provide enough of a cushion in the Texas Rangers’ series-opening 6-5 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
Pederson led off the game with a solo blast. Langford hit a three-run shot and Burger had a two-run blast in the third inning as Texas (39-42) halted a two-game slide and extended the Blue Jays’ losing streak to three games before 35,273 at Rogers Centre.
All the homers came off Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-6), who was coming off a season-worst outing last Friday in which he surrendered seven runs in two innings against the Chicago Cubs.
Gausman lasted six innings, but gave up six runs on 10 hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Lefty MacKenzie Gore (5-6) won for the first time since May 29. He went seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
Jacob Latz registered his 15th save, despite surrendering a two-run homer to straightaway centre field from Kazuma Okamoto in the ninth. It was Okamoto’s team-leading 18th long ball.
The Blue Jays (39-42) loaded the bases with none out in the fifth inning. A Davis Schneider sacrifice fly and a two-run double from Myles Straw cashed in Toronto’s other runs.
Takeaways
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit into a double play in the first inning, struck out in the fourth, grounded out in the sixth and struck out again in the ninth.
Rangers: Shortstop Corey Seager, a two-time World Series MVP, returned to the lineup after suffering a concussion on June 11.
Key moment
After Nicky Lopez and Pederson hit back-to-back one-out singles, Langford went deep to give the visitors a 4-0 advantage.
Key stat
The Blue Jays have lost five of six at home for a middling 22-21 record at Rogers Centre.
Up next
The four-game series continues Friday. Toronto left-hander Patrick Corbin (2-3) was scheduled to face right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (7-7).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2026.
Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press
