Blue Jays Triumph in Thrilling Clash Against Twins
TORONTO — George Springer slid headfirst into home plate, jumped to his feet, and let out an ecstatic scream while gazing at the sky.
His run from first base in the eighth inning came after Addison Barger connected for a two-run double to the right-field wall, thrilling the crowd of 42,361 at Rogers Centre.
Jeff Hoffman managed to close out the ninth inning, bouncing back after a previous day’s blown save, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-8 victory over the Minnesota Twins in a high-scoring game marked by eight home runs.
“It was a wild game,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “The ball was really flying. We joked around in the fourth inning about needing 10 runs to win. It was definitely a unique one.”
The pivotal moment occurred when the Blue Jays were trailing by one run. Barger launched a hanging slider from Twins reliever Michael Tonkin, sending it soaring at an impressive 110.3 m.p.h. to the outfield wall. Just before that, Ty France hit a pinch-hit home run, his first since being acquired by the Blue Jays, using a bat that had previously belonged to Barger.
“He just randomly chose to use it,” Barger explained to reporters. “I hadn’t used that bat since last year, and he ended up hitting a homer. I decided to give it a shot, and it worked out.”
Regardless of luck, the hit was crucial for Barger, who had struggled with a .130 batting average and a .401 OPS over the previous 14 games. With a spot in the No. 2 lineup, Schneider believed Barger would benefit from hitting between Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., allowing him more opportunities to see good pitches.
The team will look to build momentum as they prepare for a highly anticipated series against the MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers, which is expected to draw large crowds eager to support a team known for their thrilling comebacks. “The atmosphere was electric,” noted Schneider. “These players have the drive to fight, no matter who they’re up against.”
