Toronto Blue Jays at Washington Nationals

Rookie Trey Yesavage continues to pitch like the Blue Jays’ future ace. And on Wednesday afternoon, he was also their present-day stopper. A day after his 23rd birthday, the right-hander allowed one run and three hits over 6 2/3 innings to help the Blue Jays secure their first series victory in three weeks with a 5-2 win over the Nationals. “He was in and around the zone, and efficient with his pitches,” manager John Schneider said of Yesavage. “We needed that length out of him today. Against a team that can hit some homers and score some runs … I think he just made good pitches all day.” After Ernie Clement’s game-tying double in the sixth, Daulton Varsho knocked in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning infield single off Orlando Ribalta to secure Toronto's first series triumph since taking two of three against the Giants from July 6-8. Varsho also helped Yesavage with two out-of-the-ordinary grabs in center field to deny Brady House, including a leaping warning-track catch in the first that may have prevented a home run. “I kind of got turned around a little bit, but I found the wall,” Varsho said. “I knew he hit it well, so it was about getting close enough to the wall to see it, and basically, make my jump.” Kazuma Okamoto added a two-run double in the eighth for his third hit, then scored on George Springer’s single to provide some welcome insurance. That was enough to lift the last-place Blue Jays to 50-59 as they try to keep alive the hope of making a late postseason push \-\- while also balancing the decision whether to be sellers ahead of Monday's Trade Deadline.