Blue Jays open Grapefruit League play with 3-0 shutout of Phillies
Toronto opened spring training with power from Sean Keys and Dalton Varsho and a multi-pitcher shutout effort that limited Philadelphia to four hits. Nine total hits and early roster depth defined the Blue Jays’ first outing since November.
DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Toronto Blue Jays returned to action Saturday for their first game since Game 7 of the World Series in November and opened spring training with a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at TD Ballpark.
Toronto produced nine hits and received strong work from seven pitchers, who combined to limit Philadelphia to four hits while striking out nine.
Sean Keys provided a key offensive moment, hitting a two-run home run in and Dalton Varsho added a solo shot as part of a two-hit performance. Josh Kasevich went 1-for-2 at shortstop and scored once, while Ernie Clement reached base twice, recording a hit and a walk.
Alejandro Kirk added a hit in two at-bats while fellow catcher C.J. Stubbs and third baseman Charles McAdoo each contributed a hits, and center fielder Rafael Lantigua recorded a hit in his only at-bat. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drew a walk in his lone plate appearance.
Toronto’s pitching staff handled the rest. Eric Lauer opened with a scoreless inning, recording one strikeout while allowing one hit. Ty Rogers followed with an inning of work and allowed a hit. Adam Macko pitched two innings with two strikeouts and one walk.
CJ Van Eyk earned the win, Toronto’s first of the spring, after throwing two innings with two strikeouts, one hit allowed, and two walks. Jack Kushing added one inning with two strikeouts and one walk, Gage Stanifer pitched a scoreless inning while allowing one hit, and Javen Coleman closed the game with one inning and two strikeouts.
Blue Jays vs Dodgers Game 4 Preview: Bieber vs Ohtani After 18-Inning Epic in LA
Eighteen innings in Los Angeles produced a Game 3 that will be remembered for its length and for the swings that kept it alive — Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani struck early, Alejandro Kirk answered with a three-run homer, Ohtani tied it again late, and Freddie Freeman finally ended it in the 18th. Now the series shifts instantly to Game 4, where Shane Bieber starts for Toronto and Shohei Ohtani takes the ball for the Dodgers with a chance to move L.A. within one win of back to back championships.
LOS ANGELES — Eighteen innings in Los Angeles produced one of the longest games in World Series history and gave the Dodgers a 2–1 series lead. Game 3 featured early home runs from Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani, a three-run shot from Alejandro Kirk that flipped the score in the fourth, a late home run from Ohtani to bring it even again, and a Freddie Freeman walk-off in the 18th to end the night.
Less than twenty-four hours later, Game 4 arrives with no time for either side to decompress. Toronto turns to Shane Bieber, who is tasked with preventing Los Angeles from moving within one win of securing back to back World Series titles. Bieber enters with the responsibility of stabilizing a staff that was used deep into extra innings.
Shohei Ohtani starts for the Dodgers after reaching base nine times in Game 3 and hitting two home runs. His performance on Tuesday placed him alone in postseason history with three multi-home-run games in a single October. Now he has the chance to influence the series a second way from the mound.
The stakes are direct. A Dodgers win would put Los Angeles one victory from closing out the championship at Chavez Ravine. A Blue Jays win would reset the series at 2–2 and give Toronto the opportunity to attempt a 3–2 lead in Game 5 before flying back to Rogers Centre for the potential finish.
The margin between control and pressure swings again tonight. Bieber will attempt to pull Toronto back even. Ohtani will attempt to push Los Angeles to the edge of a repeat. Game 4 opens at 5 p.m. Pacific.
Jays Walk Off Orioles 5–4, Pad AL East Lead
TORONTO — The Blue Jays rallied in the bottom of the ninth to walk off the Baltimore Orioles 5–4 on Saturday at Rogers Centre, stretching their division lead to 3.5 games over the Yankees and 5.0 over the Red Sox in the AL East.
Down 4–2 in their final at-bat, Toronto’s comeback began with Joey Loperfido, who punched an RBI single through the right side to cut the deficit to one. Andrés Giménez followed with a ground-ball single into left to score Ernie Clement, tying the game at 4–4 and keeping the inning alive.
George Springer then reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Alejandro Kirk sealed it with a sacrifice fly to center fielder Colton Cowser, deep enough for Loperfido to tag and score the winning run.
On the mound, Max Scherzer worked five innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs with five strikeouts. Tommy Nance followed with a clean sixth. Eric Lauer was charged with one run in 1.2 innings, and Seranthony Domínguez allowed two hits in a third of an inning. Matt Fisher earned the win despite surrendering a run in the ninth, finishing his line with one inning, one hit, one earned run, one walk, and one strikeout.
The victory lifted Toronto to 86–62, keeping them on top of the American League East. The Yankees (82–65) sit 3.5 games back, the Red Sox (81–67) trail by 5.0, while Tampa Bay and Baltimore are well out of contention.
For the Blue Jays, the win underscored a September theme: timely hitting, contributions from throughout the order, and Joey Loperfido crossing the plate with the game-winner in front of a buzzing Rogers Centre crowd.