Donaldson grand at plate in rout of Phillies

The Blue Jays’ Josh Donaldson remains one of baseball’s most dedicated patrons of the video room. So when he has a huge day like he did in Tuesday’s 11-3 win over Philadelphia, there’s often a link to the extra work he puts in.

“We watched a lot of film on (Phillies starter Zach Eflin),” Donaldson said, after he crushed the rookie for a grand slam in a six-run third inning that essentially put the Jays on cruise control.

There was more to it than simply studying video of Eflin, who was making his major-league debut and suffered a less-than-memorable 2 2⁄ 3 innings in which he gave up nine runs and three of the four homers Philadelphia surrendered.

Donaldson’s ability to translate his research into his swing and approach is part of what has made him an elite player the past three seasons. He will look for a certain pitch in his at-bat and, in Tuesday’s case, he said he “recognized” a flat slider from Eflin.

“I was paying very close attention to Jose’s at-bat (Bautista, just before Donaldson’s at-bat), and it looked like he (Eflin) wanted to throw his heater early on,” Donaldson said.

“In my first at-bat he threw me a fastball I could hit and I was able to hit it pretty well to right field. That kind of started me on the right track. I was able to get some pitches to hit today and I was able to take advantage of it.

“I was looking for a pitch (on the grand slam at-bat) that I could hit. It was kind of a back-up slider, curveball, and it has been a little bit since I’ve been able to recognize that pitch, recognize that it was backing up and still keep the ball fair. “

The slam sailed down the left field line and landed fair, but just feet away from the foul pole. With a pair of doubles in the first two innings, one of them bringing in a run, Donaldson finished the day with five RBI, two runs scored and a 3-for-4 day at the plate with a walk.

Not quite as good as a career-high six RBI game last August in Anaheim, but definitely impressive. And part of a 14-hit barrage that followed a 7-0 sleeper of a loss the night before, as Ezequiel Carrera, Kevin Pillar and Edwin Encarnacion — with his team-leading 16th homer — also went long ball for Toronto’s attack.

Starter Marcus Stroman, who en- tered the game with a 7.58 ERA in his last five starts, responded with seven innings of six-hit ball and six strikeouts to post his first win at home since April 14.

Stroman “made strides” in regaining command of his two-seam sinker ball after struggling with staying on top of the pitch the last several weeks. The key, he said was eliminat- ing a tendency where his fingers slid slightly to the side of the ball.

“I’m not exactly where I want to be, but I’m making strides,” said Stroman, who pitched past the sixth in- ning for the first time in five starts.

Donaldson, meanwhile, collected his second grand slam of the year and third of his career. He’s reached base in 19 straight games.