The Toronto Blue Jays erased a three-run deficit and walked off with a 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre on Friday, September 25, 2026. Kazuma Okamoto led the charge with two hits and three RBI, while a patchwork bullpen held Cincinnati scoreless over the final six innings to complete the comeback. With the margin staying at one run deep into the night, this was the kind of gritty regular-season win that requires contributions up and down the lineup — and the Jays got them.

José Soriano Struggles Early, Bullpen Answers

Starter José Soriano had a rough night. He allowed eight hits and five earned runs over just three innings, leaving Toronto in a significant hole before the lineup had a real chance to respond. To his credit, Soriano did not walk a single batter, but Cincinnati made consistent contact and punished him for it.

From there, the bullpen took over and shut the door. Brendan Cellucci delivered two scoreless innings, striking out three and allowing just one hit. Chad Dallas followed with 1.1 innings of work, racking up three more strikeouts while giving up two hits and a walk but no runs. Mason Fluharty got two outs cleanly, Tyler Rogers worked a scoreless inning allowing one hit, and Louis Varland closed things out with a perfect ninth — two strikeouts, no hits, no walks. Fluharty earned the win; Varland picked up the save.

Okamoto, Lukes, and McAdoo Fuel the Comeback

The Blue Jays offense needed a spark after falling behind, and several hitters delivered multi-hit performances to make it happen.

  • Kazuma Okamoto: 2-for-3, 3 RBI — the biggest offensive night of the game for either side
  • Nathan Lukes: 2-for-3, 1 RBI
  • Charles McAdoo: 2-for-3
  • Myles Straw: 2-for-2

Four Jays batters collected multiple hits, and the real damage came in the sixth inning when Cincinnati reliever Luis Mey imploded. Mey allowed three earned runs on one hit and two walks across a single inning, turning what had been a manageable deficit into a lead-change situation. Mey was tagged as the losing pitcher.

Nick Lodolo had kept Toronto at bay through five innings, giving up seven hits and two earned runs while striking out three — a decent enough outing that left the Reds feeling comfortable. But once Mey entered and the Jays lineup went to work, that comfort evaporated quickly.

Turning Point: The Sixth Inning

The game flipped in the sixth. Toronto had trailed by as many as three runs, and Cincinnati's bullpen was tasked with protecting that lead. Mey could not do it. With Okamoto doing the most damage among Toronto's hitters, the Jays turned a multi-run deficit into a lead they would not relinquish. The bullpen then made sure the lead held through the final three frames.

Eugenio Suárez homered for Cincinnati and finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, giving the Reds their best individual performance at the plate. Héctor Rodríguez also had two hits and an RBI for Cincinnati, and Juan Brito went 2-for-4. But with nothing coming across after the third inning, the Reds offense ran out of innings.

What's Next for the Blue Jays

Toronto takes on Cincinnati again as this series continues at Rogers Centre. The Jays will look to build on a comeback win that required contributions from nearly every corner of the roster — offense, starting pitching (eventually steadied by the pen), and late-inning relief. With the regular season in its final stretch, every game carries weight, and Friday's resilience was a reminder of what this lineup can do when it strings together quality at-bats.