After tying Tuesday night’s game against the Astros with a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth, Isiah Kiner-Falefa called it destiny. The Toronto Blue Jays' infielder reflected on how his winding baseball journey led him back to Toronto.
“I visualized it walking up to the plate,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I was like… I went to Pittsburgh for this hit right here. It’s all come full circle.”
For much of the night, it didn’t seem like Toronto would even get the chance. On a day when news broke that Bo Bichette was headed to the injured list with a knee sprain, the Blue Jays’ bats stayed quiet until George Springer crushed a 450-foot homer in the sixth for their first hit. But the late-inning rally flipped the script, and Tyler Heineman’s walk-off grounder in the 10th sealed a 4-3 win at Rogers Centre.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. set the tone defensively in extra innings. With Jose Altuve on second as the automatic runner, Guerrero fielded a grounder at first and fired across the diamond to nab Altuve at third. The play swung momentum immediately, and Guerrero’s infield single in the bottom half helped set up the winning run.
Blue Jays stun the Astros with a comeback victory
“My shoulders went up, I flexed, just like Hoffman does,” Guerrero said, mimicking closer Jeff Hoffman’s trademark celebration after the defensive gem. His hustle on offense then moved Myles Straw to third, paving the way for Heineman’s game-ending contact.
The loss was a gut punch for Houston, who led 3-1 heading into the ninth. Interim closer Bryan Abreu couldn’t close the door, giving up two walks before Kiner-Falefa’s sharp liner tied the game. The Astros finished just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 men on base.
“We hit some balls on the nose,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve just got to be better. I thought we’re a better ballclub than what we showed today.”
Carlos Correa’s two-run homer in the first gave Houston early momentum, while starter Luis Garcia exited in the second inning with renewed elbow discomfort in his return from Tommy John surgery. Rookie AJ Blubaugh provided 3 1/3 hitless innings in relief, but Houston’s bullpen couldn’t quite finish the job.
The win was big beyond the moment. With the Yankees losing 12-2 to the Tigers, Toronto’s cushion atop the AL East grew to three games over New York and 3 1/2 over Boston. With just 18 games left, every margin matters, especially since the top two AL division winners earn a first-round bye — something Toronto has failed to secure in recent years.
For Kiner-Falefa, who bounced from Toronto to Pittsburgh and back, the moment felt poetic. For the Blue Jays, it was a reminder that even without Bichette, they can find timely hitting in the most dramatic fashion.
