Guerrero’s RBIs fuel Jays rally past Twins
TORONTO — As Vladimir Guerrero Jr., came to the plate in the sixth inning, the fans at Rogers Centre gave him a standing ovation, already anticipating that he’d be able to drive in the tying run and maybe the go-ahead score. He didn’t disappoint.
Guerrero’s two-run single in the sixth was his fourth hit as he finished with three RBIs, a run, and a stolen base to help the Toronto Blue Jays rally past the Minnesota Twins 10-8 on Saturday. Guerrero said he knew the 35,069 fans were cheering him on when he came to the plate.
“I kind of noticed that, but, I’ll be honest with you, I was just locked in,” said Guerrero. “I heard everything, but I was locked in.”
Guerrero’s 4-for-5 performance improved his batting average from .253 to .272 in a single afternoon. It’s a stark turnaround as his batting average sank as low as .182 on April 6 and was at .229 on April 30.
The 25-year-old was philosophical about his struggles, invoking the Spanish phrase “la pelota es redonda pero viene en caja cuadrada” which literally translates to “the ball is round but it comes in a square box,” a Latin American metaphor for the unpredictable nature of baseball.
“It’s a long season, six months, you never know,” said Guerrero. “I mean, sometimes, it’s a lot of ups and downs, sometimes you’re going to be hot, sometimes you’re going to be cold. It just took me a while to get the feel the way I feel right now and, hopefully, it keeps going.”
Ernie Clement’s RBI single in the seventh inning gave Toronto (18-21) its first lead of the game. The Blue Jays reeled off seven unanswered runs in the comeback.
Danny Jansen had a two-run homer, while Bo Bichette and Davis Schneider each had a solo shot in Toronto’s offensive surge. Schneider also had a sacrifice fly for another RBI and Daulton Varsho had an RBI double.
“We have that mindset of no matter how many runs we’re down we’re capable of coming back,” said Schneider, who finished the game 3 for 4 to lift his average from .265 up to .287. “Just put together good at bats and good things will happen.”
Kevin Gausman laboured through three innings, giving up seven runs — six earned — on 10 hits and two walks but striking out six.
Zach Pop of Brampton, Ont., Trevor Richards, Erik Swanson, Yimi Garcia and Jordan Romano of Markham, Ont., came out of Toronto’s bullpen. Swanson (1-2) earned the win and Romano got his sixth save of the season.
“That was incredible to watch,” said Gausman. “The bullpen and offence really just picked me up completely.
“From when I left the game to where it ended was a big difference. Nobody quit. Nobody gave in.”
Carlos Santana’s three-run homer gave Minnesota (23-16) a six-run lead in the third inning. Ryan Jeffers had a solo blast.