Blue Jays earn sweep against St. Louis Cardinals as their momentum keeps picking up steam

National Post

a day ago

It has been said, and often proven, that when you're hot, you're hot.
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The Blue Jays fall under the above category, a surging team that continues to find different ways to win, even when facing a deficit.
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Nothing seems to rattle this team at this particular moment, a time in which the Jays have improved their record to 38-30 following Wednesday's 5-2 win and a three-game sweep against the host St. Louis Cardinals.
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Toronto has gone 6-0 during its nine-game road trip that winds down this weekend in Philadelphia.
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The Jays are winning with the longball and can also manufacture runs.
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The team's pitching is walking a delicate balance, but it's been working.
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The following are three takeaways from an afternoon at Busch Stadium where veteran right-hander Spencer Turnbull made his Blue Jays debut, striking out two and surrendering two hits in two scoreless innings, a day when Yariel Rodriguez pitched a hitless ninth to pick up the save, his first in the bigs.
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1. Small ball
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The return of the home run to the Jays' offensive arsenal is one of the main reasons why they've been able to go on a run that has led to five straight series wins.
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Every so often, small ball is in vogue.
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Blue Jays' Myles Straw reached base on a bunt single.
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A Bo Bichette sac fly would give the Jays a 3-2 lead.
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After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in Clase to extend Toronto's lead, Vlad Jr. stole second.
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It was his second base swipe of the season.
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There was nothing exotic or appealing in how the Blue Jays manufactured two runs, but there was something very reminiscent of the days when teams didn't have to rely on the longball.
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There was something unusual in how the inning ended when Alejandro Kirk struck out swinging.
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In the fifth inning, Ernie Clement went deep for his fourth homer of the season as the Jays scored their fifth unanswered run.
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It was Clement's third hit of the game.