Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Ignite Impressive Comeback, Walk It Off in the 10th

Total Apex

It was a back-and-forth affair between the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox on Wednesday Night. After being down 6-0 in the 6th inning, the Blue Jays clawed their way back, on three home runs, and finished off the amazing comeback in the 10th inning, thanks to heroics from Alejandro Kirk.

Blue Jays Walk it Off in the 10th

By the end of regulation, the score was tied 9-9; it was time for extra innings north of the border. The Blue Jays were shut out for most of the game, looking like a loss to the division rival Red Sox was imminent. In the bottom of the 6th, however, the bats came alive and the chase was on. 

After a two-out walk to George Springer, Daulton Varsho stepped up to the plate and crushed a 0-2 pitch from Lucas Giolito deep into the right field seats for his first home run of the year. Kirk immediately followed with his second homer, blasting the second pitch of the at-bat into the left field seats. These two big flies cut the deficit in half, 6-3, and helped set the stage to finish the comeback.

The entire game changed in the bottom of the 7th. Garret Whitlock came in to replace Giolito and quickly got Andrés Giménez to fly out to Jarren Duran, but gave up a single to Ernie Clement. After retiring Bo Bichette, it looked like Whitlock was going to pitch around the single. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. then singled and brought the tying run, Anthony Santander, to the plate.

Santander, one of the prized possessions from their offseason signing, rewarded the Blue Jays with a game-tying three-run home run. Batting from the left side of the plate, he absolutely blistered a 2-0 pitch off the second deck facing, to the roar of the Toronto crowd, turning the game upside down.

Extra Innings

Nothing happened until the extras, where the magic happened. After Aroldis Chapman shut down the Jays in the 9th, highlighted by staring down Guerrero Jr. after slipping a 101 mph sinker past his bat to end the inning, the Red Sox were hoping to hold them off again.

With Guerrero Jr. starting off as the ghost runner at second, Santander lined out to Ceddanne Rafaela in center, but allowed Vladdy to scramble to third. New pitcher Justin Slaten then intentionally walked Springer and Varsho, back-to-back, to load the bases with one out, making it a force out at every base, a strong strategy, especially when you’re staring at the winning run on third base.

The strategy did not end up in the Red Sox’s favor. The entire defense was playing shallow, to be able to do their best at stopping the winning run from scoring, but Kirk had other plans. With the outfield playing extremely shallow, he mashed a 2-1 pitch over the head of Duran in left, scoring Guerrero Jr. and solidifying an electric win.

The American League East

With the exception of the Baltimore Orioles, the American League East teams have been jumping over each other for the month of April, seeing everyone get a taste of 1st place. Currently, the Blue Jays are tied for third with the Tampa Bay Rays, who are only three and a half games behind the first-place New York Yankees. The division is clearly up for grabs at this point, and the Jays are hoping to continue clawing their way back and staying close to, if not fully, on top.

 

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