TORONTO – For this makeshift bullpen-day rotation spot to be sustainable for any sort of short-term, let alone long-term period, the Toronto Blue Jays are going to need Jose Berrios to consistently follow-up with the type of performance he delivered Wednesday.
For the Blue Jays to nudge their front office from sell to buy before the July 30 trade deadline, their offence will need to deliver more timely hits the way Isiah Kiner-Falefa did in a walk-off 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Kiner-Falefa broke through a tightly pitched affair by sending a drive to deep right field that allowed Cavan Biggio to scamper home as a crowd of 27,929 roared in delight.
Justin Turner, dropped to sixth in the lineup, led off the inning with a single off closer Craig Kimbrel and Biggio promptly came in to pinch-run for him. An errant pickoff throw moved him to second, he then took third on Alejandro Kirk’s flyout to deep right, setting the stage for Kiner-Falefa.
Berrios’ six innings of two-run ball gave the Blue Jays bullpen a needed breather a day after six relievers, beginning with Trevor Richards’ two shutout innings, filled the injured Alek Manoah’s vacant spot in Tuesday’s 10-1 loss.
That left Berrios precious little margin for error against an Orioles offence that pounded out seven homers among 19 hits that produced 17 runs in the first two games of the series.
Second-inning aside, when Anthony Santander went down to get a 1-2 slurve falling out of the zone and sent it 436 feet to left-centre and Ramon Urias doubled home a Cedric Mullins walk, Berrios kept the dangerous lineup very much at bay.
The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the second as George Springer walked, advanced to third on Justin Turner’s double and scored on Alejandro Kirk’s sacrifice fly. Kiner-Falefa followed with an RBI single that evened the score.
Bo Bichette doubled to lead off the sixth and two outs later, Kirk singled sharply to right. Ryan O’Hearn fielded it instantly and fired home before Bichette had even rounded third, prompeting third-base coach Carlos Febles to rightly throw up a stop sign.
Kiner-Falefa proceeded to strike out, ending the frame, but didn’t miss the next time an opportunity came up.
In a thrilling matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, it was Isiah Kiner-Falefa who emerged as the hero for the Blue Jays. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, Kiner-Falefa stepped up to the plate and delivered a clutch walk-off hit to secure a dramatic victory for his team.
The game had been a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows throughout the nine innings. The Blue Jays had taken an early lead, only for the Rays to claw their way back into the game with some timely hitting of their own. As the game entered the late innings, it was clear that one big play could be the difference between victory and defeat.
That big play came from Kiner-Falefa, who had been acquired by the Blue Jays in a trade earlier in the season. The young infielder had quickly become a fan favorite with his energetic play and clutch performances, and he added to his growing legend with his walk-off hit against the Rays.
As Kiner-Falefa’s bat connected with the ball, the crowd at Rogers Centre held its breath. The ball sailed into the outfield, out of reach of the Rays’ fielders, and as Kiner-Falefa rounded first base and headed for second, his teammates poured out of the dugout to mob him in celebration.
The walk-off hit was not only a thrilling moment for Kiner-Falefa and the Blue Jays, but it also had important implications for the team’s playoff hopes. With the victory, the Blue Jays moved into a tie for first place in their division, putting them in a strong position as they push for a postseason berth.
For Kiner-Falefa, the walk-off hit was a moment he will never forget. In post-game interviews, he credited his teammates for setting the stage for his heroics and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the team’s success.
As the Blue Jays look ahead to the rest of the season, they will no doubt be counting on more clutch performances from players like Kiner-Falefa. With his walk-off hit leading them to victory in such a close game, he has proven himself to be a player who can rise to the occasion when it matters most.