The Toronto Blue Jays are back on track following a thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 victory in a series opener against the Houston Astros at Rogers Centre in Toronto Tuesday night.
Coming back-to-back losses at the hands of the New York Yankees in the Bronx, the Blue Jays looked as though their downward spiral was going to continue against Houston, as they entered the bottom of the ninth inning of the Astros game trailing the visitors, 3-1.
However, Toronto simply refused to lose, as the Blue Jays managed to load the bases after drawing a pair of walks from Alejandro Kirk and Davis Schneider and a single from Ernie Clement. Isiah Kiner-Falefa then stepped to the plate and delivered a game-tying hit. The Blue Jays still had two outs left in after Kiner-Falefa's clutch play, but George Springer and Myles Straw had back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame.
In the 10th inning, Tyler Heineman plated the game-winning run by Straw after his fielder's choice grounder off Houston reliever Craig Kimbrel.
The win did not just snap the Blue Jays' losing skid. With that victory, Toronto also pulled even with the reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, for a particular feat in the big leagues.
“Blue Jays earn their 43rd comeback win of the season, tied for 1st in MLB with the Dodgers,” posted Sportsnet Stats on X, formerly Twitter, following the wild ending to the contest.
Moreover, the Blue Jays have 23 wins despite being behind by multiple runs in a game, also according to Sportsnet Stats.
Toronto didn't get on the board until the sixth inning, when Springer launched a towering solo home run that went 450 feet deep.
Jeff Hoffman got the pitching win for the Blue Jays, as he blanked the Astros in the top of the 10th inning and paved the way for Toronto to end the night in the bottom of the frame.
The Blue Jays now sport an 83-61 record, still the best in the American League East amid an intense race in the division. They are three games ahead of the New York Yankees, who lost on Tuesday to the Detroit Tigers.
