George Springer's timely dinger sparks Blue Jays to another road win over Twins

Yahoo

4 hours ago

The Blue Jays are enjoying this view near the top of the AL East knowing better times await if they are able to sustain these good vibes.
The team is definitely on a roll as its ascent has taken them six games above .500 (35-29) for the first time this season.
The New York Yankees remain atop the division, but the Jays can now be characterized as a legitimate contender, at least based on how well they've been playing and how they've been able to step up in the biggest of moments.
The latest example was provided by a rejuvenated George Springer, who went deep for a two-run blast in the eighth inning to help give the visitors their 5-4 win over the host Minnesota Twins.
It was Springer's club-leading 10th dinger of the season.
Toronto endured a scoreless drought of five innings before Addison Barger led off the fateful eighth with a double.
The following are three takeaways on a day the Jays once again showed their penchant for staging late comeback wins as they eye a series sweep Sunday, a day when closer Jeff Hoffman gave up his seventh homer of the season in saving his second game in a row.
Kevin Gausman is too good of a pitcher to be continually vexed by the Twins, who have had the veteran's number.
The law of averages dictated Gausman would eventually have his day.
Saturday, he began his outing by attacking the strike zone.
He oozed confidence and pitched in a manner worthy of embracing the role of staff ace.
Even when Gausman wasn't getting the benefit of a call, he never flinched.
Through three innings, Gausman was near flawless. His only blemish came on a walk that would be quickly erased when he induced a double play.
Once through Minny's lineup and Gausman had recorded two strikeouts while throwing 41 pitches.
The Jays could not have scripted Gausman's start any better.
In total control and in total command, it was vintage Gausman.
Out of nowhere, it began to unravel in the fourth inning in stunning rapidity.
Gausman's first hit batter of the season, on an 0-2 pitch no less, scored the Twins' first run.
The second run came on a Gausman walk.
It could have been worse, but the damage was minimized when Gausman induced an inning-ending double play.
At the end of the day, Gausman was doomed by the hit batter and a solo blast he surrendered to Matt Walner in the sixth inning that gave Minny its lead.
The 104-pitch outing was a season-high for Gausman.
He could have used more offence from his teammates.
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Backup catcher Tyler Heineman is making a strong case for additional playing time.
With Alejandro Kirk on the roster and performing like his previous all-star form, the best Heineman can ask is for the occasional start behind the plate.
By no means is he making people forget the days of Danny Jansen, but Heineman is nonetheless making a name for himself.
Consider his first at-bat against Twins starter Chris Paddack, who gave up an RBI single to Nathan Lukes in the top of the first inning.
Heineman hasn't gone yard since March 30, his one and only homer of the season in his previous 52 at-bats.
In at-bat No. 53, Heineman took Paddack deep in the second inning for his second homer of the campaign.
At this rate, Heineman is worthy of seeing the field more often.
In Toronto's 9-1 home win over the Phillies, Heineman went 2-for-4 while knocking in three runs.
When he went deep Saturday, Heineman raised his average to .415 while improving his OPS to a stellar 1.052, numbers no one expects the catcher to maintain.
The fact is he's looking more comfortable both at the plate and behind it.
Heineman added a single in the seventh inning to give him a multi-hit game for a third straight outing.
He would cap off the afternoon with a ninth-inning single to give him a three-hit game, his third of the season and first since April 20.
Perception is everything, or so it's been said, and the perception surrounding Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is that more must be summoned.
Fairly or unfairly, his $500-million contract extension, which doesn't kick in until next season, has raised expectations.
While it's commendable to record a career-high 34-game on-base streak, more thump is required from Vlad Jr, especially with the likes of Daulton Varsho (hamstring) and Anthony Santander (shoulder) on the injured list.
As well as Barger has been slugging, he remains a very enticing and explosive player because his body of work isn't big enough to make a complete judgment.
When the Jays beat former closer Jordan Romano and the visiting Phillies on Kirk's walk-off hit, it was Vlad Jr. who stole second, his first base swipe of the season, before scoring the winning run in Toronto's 2-1 victory.
With two outs and two runners on base in a one-run game, Vlad Jr. hit into an inning-ending groundout to end the seventh at Target Field.
Vlad Jr. came through with two outs in the ninth when he scored Heineman on a single to provide the Jays with that all-important add-on run.
All eyes will be on Bowden Francis in Sunday's series finale (2:10 p.m. EDT first pitch), a beleaguered right-hander who will be making his 13th start of the season; in his latest outing, Francis gave up two homers to the visiting Phillies in 1.2 innings to increase his season total to 17, tied for the MLB-high in dingers yielded with Tampa's Zack Littell.