Home cooking has served Blue Jays well in club's climb atop AL East
Article content
With the visiting Los Angeles Angels in town to complete Toronto's current seven-game homestand, the team won't be back at Rogers Centre until after the all-star break.
Article content
Article content
When they do reconvene following baseball's mid-summer classic, the Jays will play host to the San Francisco Giants followed by a return visit from the New York Yankees, who were swept out of town Thursday with all four games played under a playoff backdrop.
Article content
Only the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers have a better home record than the Blue Jays, who opened their three-game set against the Angels sporting a 29-16 record.
Article content
The Jays are 20-22 away from home, a record that must improve for this team to be considered legitimate.
Article content
Prior to the Angels' visit, the Jays played 14 series at home, which began when Baltimore came to town in the season opener when the atmosphere turned morbid in the aftermath of a 12-2 loss to the Orioles.
Article content
Toronto salvaged a series split before earning a series sweep against the Washington Nationals.
Article content
In total, series sweeps against the San Diego Padres, Athletics and Yankees were recorded.
Article content
Series losses were counted when Seattle came to town, followed by Cleveland, Tampa, Detroit and the Chicago White Sox.
Article content
The Jays then posted series wins against Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and Arizona.
Article content
The team's longest homestand was nine games, a stretch that saw Toronto drop back-to-back series against the Rays and Tigers before earning a 5-4 record during its extended stay at home by sweeping the Padres in a three-game set.
Article content
By far the most electric series involved the Yankees, while the most disconcerting came against the lowly ChiSox.
Article content
Article content
Still, the way the team has played at home and the way fans have supported the club have evoked memories of 2016, which coincidentally was the last time the Blue Jays won a post-season series.
Article content
Entering this weekend's series against the Angels, the Jays have averaged a home crowd of 30,449, 12th-best in baseball.
Article content
Looking into the future, the Jays will wrap up the season at home with a six-game homestand against Boston and Tampa.
Article content
Plenty of games remain to be played in the interim and plenty of moves are likely to be engineered as baseball's July 31 trade deadline approaches.
Article content
Pitching is one area that could use a jolt.
Article content
With Max Scherzer scheduled to make the start Saturday, it will be his third outing in Toronto and fourth overall with the Blue Jays as the veteran right-hander and certain hall of famer continues to manage a troublesome thumb.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sports scoreboard for Friday, July 4, 2025
Friday's Scoreboard CFL Hamilton 51 Toronto 38 — MLB American League Toronto 4 L.A. Angels 3 (10 innings) Detroit 2 Cleveland 1 Minnesota 4 Tampa Bay 3 National League Chicago Cubs 11 St. Louis 3 Cincinnati 9 Philadelphia 6 Milwaukee 6 Miami 5 Interleague Houston 18 L.A. Dodgers 1 Boston 11 Washington 2 Athletics 11 San Francisco 2 N.Y. Mets 6 N.Y. Yankees 5 Seattle 6 Pittsburgh 0 San Diego 3 Texas 2 (10 innings) Baltimore 3 Atlanta 2 Chicago White Sox 3 Colorado 2 Kansas City 9 Arizona 3 — MLS L.A. Galaxy 3 Vancouver 0 Minnesota 2 FC Dallas 1 Sporting Kansas City 2 Colorado 1 — CEBL Niagara 93 Winnipeg 82 —
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Astros' Altuve homers twice, drives in five and gets booed in 18-1 historic rout of Dodgers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jose Altuve homered twice while reaching base five times and driving in five runs, and the Houston Astros routed the Los Angeles Dodgers 18-1 on Friday night in the series opener of a matchup between division leaders. The defending World Series champion Dodgers were held to five hits and Will Smith's solo homer in the team's worst loss in Dodger Stadium history. The AL West-leading Astros scored 10 runs in the sixth, highlighted by Victor Caratini's grand slam and Altuve's three-run shot. It was the most runs given up in an inning by the Dodgers since April 23, 1999, when they allowed 11 to St. Louis. Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. (2-3) allowed one run and four hits in six innings of his second start since returning from a sprained right foot. He struck out four. Isaac Paredes hit his first career leadoff homer on the first pitch of the game from rookie Ben Casparius. Altuve doubled and scored on Walker's RBI single for a 2-0 lead. Jake Meyers doubled beading off the third and scored on Altuve's 14th homer. Rookie Cam Smith doubled and scored on Walker's 417-foot shot halfway up the left-field pavilion to cap four straight hits given up by Casparius and extend Houston's lead to 6-1. The Astros broke it open in the sixth. Smith had a bases-loaded RBI single, reliever Noah Davis hit Walker with two strikes to force in a run and Caratin hit his grand slam came with no outs. Meyers added an RBI single and Altuve hit his second homer of the night. Caparius allowed six runs and nine hits in three innings and struck out three. Dodgers fans relentlessly booed Altuve throughout his at-bats, chanting 'Cheater! Cheater!' He's one of two players, along with McCullers, remaining from Houston's 2017 team that beat the Dodgers in the World Series. It later came out that the Astros were stealing signs with the help of video and relaying pitches to batters by banging on a trash can. Key moment Ohtani hit a 96-mph line drive off the left heel of McCullers in the third. The ball flew up and was caught by shortstop Mauricio Dubón, with the umpire signaling Ohtani out on the rare 1-6 putout. Key stat Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Cooper Hummel's pinch-hit single in the fifth snapped a streak of 12 1/3 hitless innings by the Dodgers bullpen. Up next Astros LHP Framber Valdez (9-4, 2.72 ERA) starts Saturday. Dodgers RHP Shohei Ohtani (0-0, 2.25) will throw two innings as the opener on his 31st birthday. ___ AP MLB:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
McNeil's clutch homer lifts Mets over Yankees in Subway Series opener
NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff McNeil hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Luke Weaver in the seventh inning, leading the New York Mets over the Yankees 6-5 on Friday in a Subway Series opener between teams that faded badly after strong starts. Juan Soto hit a two-run homer among three hits against his former team and Brett Baty connected for a solo shot in the sixth off Ian Hamilton that cut the Yankees' lead to 5-4. Weaver (1-3) relieved with two outs in the seventh and walked Pete Alonso. McNeil drove a changeup into the right-field upper deck at Citi Field, sending the Yankees to their fifth straight loss during a slide that dropped them from the AL East lead. Jasson Domínguez ended a 32-game homerless streak, hitting a pair of opposite-field homers and driving in three runs. Domínguez and Judge hit back-to-back homers starting the game, Judge's 32nd this year, and Cody Bellinger also went deep for the Yankees. Huascar Brazobán (4-2) pitched a hitless seventh and Reed Garrett got six outs for his third save, helped by an outstanding defensive play from McNeil at second base in the ninth. RED SOX 11, NATIONALS 2 WASHINGTON (AP) — Trevor Story homered and drove in four runs as part of a four-hit day, Lucas Giolito pitched 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first game against the team that drafted him and Boston routed Washington. Jarren Duran had three RBIs for Boston, which collected 16 hits and has won four of six since enduring a season-worst six-game skid. Washington was denied its first three-game winning streak since taking four in a row on May 28-31. Giolito (5-1) allowed four hits and three walks while striking out seven, surrendering Luis García Jr.'s sacrifice fly in the sixth. He is 2-0 with an 0.61 ERA in his last two starts. REDS 9, PHILLIES 6 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Spencer Steer hit a two-RBI double to spark a five-run third inning and Reds reliever Tony Santillan struck out Alec Bohm with the bases loaded to end the eighth and lead Cincinnati past Philadelphia. Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo lasted only two-plus innings and Reds starter Andrew Abbott — both pitchers entered with seven wins — couldn't get out of the fourth. The Reds or Phillies scored at least one run in each of the first six innings and the defending NL East champion Phillies finished with 14 hits. The Reds had 11. Nick Castellanos hit a two-run homer in the first inning to help stake Luzardo (7-5) to a 3-0 lead. Luzardo pitched like an All-Star deep into May with an ERA hovering under 2.00 through his first 10 starts. He has been rocked in most of his outings since. He allowed a run in the second inning and gave up two run-scoring singles, a sacrifice fly and Steer's double in the third that made it 6-3. Elly De La Cruz added an RBI single in the fourth and the Reds tacked on two more runs in the fifth for a 9-4 lead. CUBS 11, CARDINALS 3 CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch hit three home runs, Pete Crow-Armstrong connected twice and Chicago went deep a franchise-record eight times in pounding St. Louis for its fourth straight victory. Busch finished 4 for 4 with five RBIs. Crow-Armstrong also went 4 for 4 and Dansby Swanson launched a two-run homer during a Cubs power barrage that had the crowd of 40,038 at Wrigley Field roaring. Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly added solo shots as the NL Central leaders hit six homers in the first three innings off Miles Mikolas (4-6), a record for most home runs off a Cardinals pitcher in one game. The eight longballs allowed by St. Louis also broke a club mark. Brendan Donovan led off the fourth with a home run against Colin Rea, ending a 31-inning scoreless streak for the Cardinals. St. Louis, which dropped its fourth straight, was shut out in its three previous losses. That was the only hit Rea (6-3) allowed in 6 2/3 innings, matching his longest outing this season. Mikolas (4-6) was tagged for eight runs and 10 hits over six innings in losing his fourth in a row. MARINERS 6, PIRATES 0 SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his 34th and 35th home runs to set a career high and match Ken Griffey Jr.'s Seattle record for homers before the All-Star break, helping the Mariners beat Pittsburgh. The major league leader turned on a fastball from Bailey Falter (6-4) in the first inning and walloped it well past the wall in left. The exit velocity on the two-run shot was logged at 115.2 mph, per Statcast — the hardest-hit ball of his career. Raleigh topped his previous career high — set last season — in the sixth with a solo shot that chased Falter. The Mariners only mustered one other hit off the left-hander, but it was also a home run courtesy of Randy Arozarena in the fourth inning. Mariners starter Bryan Woo (8-4) went six innings. TWINS 4, RAYS 3 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Harrison Bader hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Minnesota a victory over Tampa Bay. Bader, the No. 9 batter, lined the first pitch he saw from Kevin Kelly (0-1) into the first row of left-field seats to complete a three-run Minnesota comeback. It was the third career walk-off RBI for Bader, first on a home run. Louis Varland (3-3) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Trailing 3-1 in the seventh, Minnesota got a two-out RBI double from Byron Buxton before Rays reliever Garrett Cleavinger hit Willi Castro and Brooks Lee with pitches, tying the game. Carlos Correa struck out with the bases loaded. Twins starter Chris Paddack allowed two earned runs and five hits in five-plus innings. Josh Lowe singled against Paddack leading off the sixth and scored on Yandy Díaz's double. Junior Caminero drove in Díaz with a single off Danny Coulombe for a 2-1 Rays lead. Lowe added an RBI single in the seventh. Zack Littell pitched six solid innings for Tampa Bay, allowing one earned run for the third straight start. He scattered four hits and struck out five. ORIOLES 3, BRAVES 2 ATLANTA (AP) — Jordan Westburg had three hits, including a homer, Cedric Mullins added a two-run shot and Charlie Morton allowed two runs in his return to Atlanta to lead Baltimore to a win. Morton (5-7) improved to 5-0 in 10 appearances, including seven starts, since May 10. Morton, who pitched for the Braves for four years before signing a one-year deal with the Orioles, threw five scoreless innings before giving up a two-run homer to Drake Baldwin in the sixth. Westburg returned to the lineup after aggravating his left index finger on Friday and made an immediate impact. After reaching on an infield single in the first inning, Westburg snapped a scoreless tie in the third with an opposite-field homer to right field, his eighth, off Spencer Strider (3-7). Tyler O'Neill had a single and a walk in his return from Baltimore's injured list. O'Neill had been out since May 16 with a left shoulder impingement. TIGERS 2, GUARDIANS 1 CLEVELAND (AP) — Wenceel Pérez and Zach McKinstry homered as Detroit extended Cleveland's losing streak to eight games. José Ramírez went deep for the Guardians, who are on their longest skid since dropping nine straight in 2021. Tyler Holton (4-3) pitched 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball to earn the win. Will Vest went 1 1/3 innings for his 14th save in 17 opportunities. Steven Kwan gave the Guardians some hope in the ninth with a two-out double down the left-field line, but Kyle Manzardo hit a grounder to Vest for the final out. Detroit's Reese Olson made his first start since May 17 and allowed only one run on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander was out nearly seven weeks due to right ring finger inflammation. Pérez tied it at 1 in the third inning with a drive to center field off Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi (3-4). McKinstry then led off the fourth by connecting on a curve ball over the wall in right-center for his second go-ahead homer of the season. Ramírez snapped an 0-for-21 drought when he put a 94.8 mph fastball from Olson into the right field stands for his 14th homer of the season. It was also the first time he had gone deep since June 14 at Seattle. Cecconi went six innings and threw a career-high 105 pitches. He gave up six hits and struck out five. PADRES 3, RANGERS 2, 10 INNINGS SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jake Cronenworth singled to right field with the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th inning to give San Diego a win over Texas. Cronenworth's single off Robert Garcia (1-4) brought in automatic runner Jackson Merrill. Cronenworth raised his right index finger as he rounded first base and was mobbed by teammates near second after his fifth career walk-off hit. Manny Machado was intentionally walked to open the inning and Luis Arraez struck out. Gavin Sheets singled to center to load the bases. Xander Bogaerts injured himself swinging at the first pitch of his at-bat, was checked by an athletic trainer and left the game. Bryce Johnson replaced him and struck out. The Rangers went to extra innings for the sixth time in nine games, losing four of them. BREWERS 6, MARLINS 5 MIAMI (AP) — Christian Yelich scored the go-ahead run all the way from first on a double by Jackson Chourio in the eighth inning and Milwaukee beat Miami. Yelich singled leading off the eighth against Cade Gibson (2-4) and Chourio followed with his hit to help the Brewers win for the 10th time in 14 games. Aaron Ashby (1-0) retired all seven batters he faced for the win. Trevor Megill gave up a two-out single to Xavier Edwards before issuing a nine-pitch walk to Jesús Sánchez, but he struck out Otto Lopez swinging for his 19th save in 22 opportunities. BLUE JAYS 4, ANGELS 3, 10 INNINGS TORONTO (AP) — Myles Straw scored the winning run on a throwing error by pitcher Sam Bachman in the 10th inning, and Toronto extended its winning streak to six games by beating Los Angeles. Straw, the automatic runner, scored from second when Bachman fielded Ernie Clement's sacrifice bunt and overthrew first base. Bachman (1-2) entered in the 10th and walked leadoff hitter Nathan Lukes, putting runners on first and second with nobody out for Clement. Chad Green (3-2) worked a scoreless inning for the win. Jo Adell tied it for the Angels with a three-run homer in the seventh. WHITE SOX 3, ROCKIES 2 DENVER (AP) — Adrian Houser allowed two hits in eight innings and rookie catcher Edgar Quero hit his first major league home run — a tiebreaking solo shot in the sixth that sent Chicago past Colorado. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Rookie reliever Grant Taylor gave up a two-out single to Mickey Moniak in the ninth before striking out Ryan McMahon for his third save. In a matchup between the two worst teams in the majors, Houser (4-2) permitted two unearned runs on four hits and two walks. He hasn't yielded more than three runs in any of his eight starts this season. The veteran right-hander was coming off seven sharp innings in a 1-0 win over the Giants that Taylor also saved. Andrew Benintendi and Miguel Vargas opened the fourth with singles against Antonio Senzatela (3-12), and Quero walked to load the bases. Michael A. Taylor's two-out single gave Chicago a 2-0 lead. Michael Toglia doubled in the fifth and scored on a throwing error by third baseman Josh Rojas. Tyler Freeman doubled to tie it at 2. Quero gave Chicago the lead with a 401-foot drive to right field — before getting the silent treatment from his teammates when he returned to the dugout.
