Blue Jays starter Easton Lucas struggles in 8-4 loss to Atlanta Braves

Blue Jays starting pitcher Easton Lucas (62) throws to an Atlanta Braves batter in first-inning interleague baseball action in Toronto on Monday, April 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

TORONTO — Toronto starter Easton Lucas finally gave up his first earned run of the season on Monday night.

The problem for the Blue Jays left-hander was once the Atlanta Braves started scoring, they didn’t let up.

Austin Riley drove in five runs with a pair of homers and Sean Murphy hit a two-run blast to power the Braves to an 8-4 victory over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

“Walks and homers,” said Toronto manager John Schneider. “(Lucas) wasn’t really locating. I think his off-speed stuff especially was up in the zone and he paid the price.”

Murphy went deep in the first inning and Riley doubled Atlanta’s lead in the third. Riley added a three-run shot in the Braves’ four-run fifth inning.

“Days like today happen,” Schneider said. “You make some tough pitches and guys (make you) pay the price. This is the big leagues and those are good hitters. But I think that he’s done a good job overall.”

Lucas (2-1), who has been filling in for injured right-hander Max Scherzer, was strong over his first two big-league starts. His earned-run average jumped from 0.00 to 4.70 after giving up eight earned runs over his five-inning appearance.

“I didn’t really change anything,” Lucas said. “I was ready to go and just didn’t execute.”

Starter Grant Holmes retired the first 12 batters he faced for Atlanta (5-11) before issuing a walk to Andres Gimenez in the fifth. Myles Straw led off the sixth inning with a solo homer for Toronto’s first hit.

Holmes (1-1) allowed two hits, three earned runs and two walks over a career-high 7 2/3 innings. He had four strikeouts.

Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. tipped his helmet while receiving an ovation from the crowd of 21,595 before his first plate appearance. It was his first home game since signing a 14-year contract extension worth US$500 million.

Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies doubled in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to seven games. The Braves outhit the Blue Jays 6-5.

Jacob Barnes and Yariel Rodriguez each threw two innings in relief for Toronto (9-8). Tyler Heineman hit a two-run double in the eighth inning off Braves reliever Aaron Bummer and Ernie Clement had an RBI single in the ninth.

The opener of the three-game interleague series took two hours 16 minutes to play.

Scherzer is set to make another visit to a hand specialist this week, Schneider said before the game. The right-hander received a cortisone injection in his right thumb during a March 31 visit with Dr. Thomas Graham.

Toronto outfielder George Springer sat out after leaving early in Toronto’s 7-6 win over Baltimore on Sunday after experiencing some discomfort in his left wrist during an at-bat.

Results from an X-ray and MRI exam were normal and Springer was listed as day-to-day, Schneider said.

Kevin Gausman (1-1, 2.33 ERA) was tabbed to start for the Blue Jays on Tuesday night against fellow right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (1-0, 0.45).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2025.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press