Blue Jays save best for last
TORONTO — Some of Toronto’s quietest hitters came through at the right time Thursday night as the Blue Jays came back for a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Randal Grichuk delivered a two-run double in Toronto’s three-run ninth inning and Aledmys Diaz drove in Teoscar Hernandez with the winning run in the 10th to give the Blue Jays a walkoff win.
It was Toronto’s second victory in nine games.
“Obviously, we desperately needed that, if you want to know the truth,” said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “Maybe that’ll get us on a roll a little bit.”
Grichuk entered the game with a dismal .115 average while Diaz came in with a .208 mark. Both had multi-hit games as Toronto earned its second home win in its last 12 tries at Rogers Centre.
“A big comeback win late does a lot to the team,” Grichuk said. “It feels great. You all hear it in this clubhouse.
“That’s the type of stuff that carries over and you can create a winning streak from that.”
Baltimore reliever Brad Brach blew the save opportunity as Grichuk cashed in Luke Maile and Diaz before scoring on a Kevin Pillar single.
Reliever Miguel Castro came on and got Yangervis Solarte to hit into a double play to force extra innings. In the 10th, Hernandez hit a flare into shallow leftcentre field and stretched it into a double.
“That’s one of those ones where it’s like oh-oh, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t, and then he’s safe and it’s like, ‘Great play,’ ” Gibbons said with a smile.
After an intentional walk and two strikeouts, Diaz lashed a single off Castro (1-2) into left field to bring Hernandez home.
“It just shows that we haven’t put our heads down,” Diaz said via a translator. “It’s a long season and hopefully we can keep it going.”
Danny Barnes (2-1) worked an inning of scoreless relief for the win.
Mariners 5, Rays 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Mike Leake pitched into the ninth inning, Mitch Haniger homered and drove in three, and the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Thursday night.
Leake (6-3) was lifted with a 5-1 lead after allowing his eighth hit.
Robertson homered for the Rays, who have scored 16 runs during a sevengame losing streak.