WALK-OFF WONDER
Steve Pearce’s game-winning grand slam — his second in 4 days — seals the biggest ninth-inning comeback in Jays history,
Steve Pearce and the Blue Jays made history at the Rogers Centre on Sunday.
For the second time in four days, the 34-year-old left fielder from Lakeland, Fla., smashed a walk-off grand slam, becoming the first major leaguer ever to do that twice in a single week.
“Just as good, just as good,” said Pearce when asked how his second game-win- ning, bases-loaded blast compared to the first. “And better yet, it helped our team win a game.” And what a game. On the eve of baseball’s trade deadline, the Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels 11-10 with a wild seven-run rally, the biggest ninth-inning comeback in franchise history.
Only two Blue Jays had ever hit a walkoff slam before Pearce — George Bell on Sept. 4, 1988 and Gregg Zaun on Sept. 6, 2008.
And the only other big leaguers to launch two game-winning grannies in a single season were Cy Williams with the 1926 Phillies and Jim Presley of the 1986 Mariners.
The history of the moment may have been lost on Pearce until — before fielding questions from a big media scrum in the Blue Jays clubhouse — he took a phone call from none other than . . . Presley, Pearce’s hitting coach from their days with the Baltimore Orioles.
“We just kept hitting and hitting,” Pearce said of the Jays’ miraculous ninth — which included five hits, including a two-run homer from Kevin Pillar, and two walks.
“We kept fighting. It shows the resiliency of our team.”
Pearce’s heroics were greeted by what was left of the sellout crowd of 46,852, who had screamed themselves hoarse during the course of the improbable comeback.
After a celebration at home plate with his teammates, Pearce did an on-field interview with Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae and the two were promptly doused in orange Gatorade.
With the Jays playing some sloppy defence, and the non-waiver trade deadline looming, Pearce changed the mood and brought back memories of the homer-hitting Blue Jays of the past two seasons.
“I don’t think there’s any way to expect that. I just guess we’re just tired of losing,” Pillar said of the Jays — who were swept in three games by Cleveland, then swept the A’s in four, only to drop the first two games against Los Angeles.
“We still feel we have a chance (at playoff contention). We swept a team, then we lose these first two games, and there’s the chance of being swept. We just battled to the last out. We’re not hitting (as many) home runs, so we have to find ways to win games.”
Another twist for Pearce in the ninth was facing Angels reliever Bud Norris, a good friend when they played together in Baltimore.
“I’ve never faced him as a closer,” Pearce said. “I don’t like facing players I know. It’s tough, trying to do too much against them. But . . . he got down (2-and-0), so I could really zone in on my pitch.”
He said the first slam, against Oakland on July 27, didn’t cross his mind in Sunday’s ninth.
“You don’t relive it,” Pearce said. “You go up there and you attack the at-bat.”
Against Oakland, Pearce poked an inside fastball from former Jays reliever Liam Hendriks down the line in left field. There was no question it had the legs to leave the park. The only question was whether it would stay fair. He coaxed that one with a little body language at the plate before his home-run trot.
Sunday’s shot was a no-doubter — instantly one of the most memorable moments in Jays history.
The ninth-inning comeback for the ages started with a leadoff walk by Ryan Goins. Angels reliever Brooks Pounders then gave up a two-run homer to Pillar. But the Jays were just getting started.
Rob Refsnyder, in the starting lineup for the first time as a Jay after being acquired from the Yankees last week, hit a ground-rule double and Norris came on for Pounders.
Ezequiel Carrera singled on the first pitch he saw, moving Refsnyder to third. Russell Martin — in the lineup at third base with Josh Donaldson sitting — followed with an infield single after a tremendous at-bat to score Refsnyder and move Carrera to second. After Justin Smoak’s groundout moved the runners over, Kendrys Morales walked to load the bases and set the table for Pearce.
“I’ve just been feeling good at the plate and I was able to zone in on my pitch,” said Pearce. “I hope to be in that situation again more often.”