On Wednesday night, the Toronto Blue Jays staged a thrilling comeback to secure a 9-8 victory over the Minnesota Twins, thanks largely to a pivotal two-run double hit by Addison Barger during a three-run eighth inning. Barger's timely hit drove a ball into the right-center field gap, allowing Alejandro Kirk to score the tying run, while George Springer crossed home plate for the go-ahead score.
Seranthony Dominguez, who recorded his third win of the season (3-4), secured two crucial outs in the eighth inning, while closer Jeff Hoffman successfully navigated the ninth to collect his 29th save of the year. This win marked Toronto's achievement in taking the rubber game of the three-game series against Minnesota.
Notably, both teams displayed impressive power at the plate, with each team tallying four home runs, all of which were solo shots. For the Blue Jays, Davis Schneider led the charge with two home runs, contributing significantly to the offensive effort, while teammates Andres Gimenez and Ty France—who notably hit a pinch-hit homer to spark the rally in the eighth—increased the team's tally. The Blue Jays improved their record to 78-56 with this victory.
On the other side, the Twins, now standing at 60-73, had Byron Buxton contributing two home runs to their score, while Luke Keaschall and Brooks Lee also managed to go deep for the Minnesota team. The starting pitchers for both teams faced challenges on the mound; Toronto’s Eric Lauer allowed six earned runs and ten hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out four batters in the process. In contrast, Minnesota’s Simeon Woods Richardson surrendered five earned runs and five hits over 3 2/3 innings, issuing two walks and accumulating two strikeouts.
Michael Tonkin (2-1) ended up being charged with the loss after failing to maintain the lead for Minnesota. Meanwhile, Toronto maintained their four-game lead over Boston in the American League East Division standings, as the Red Sox narrowly defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in their matchup.
KEY MOMENT
A standout moment of the game occurred in the second inning when Blue Jays center-fielder Daulton Varsho electrified the sellout crowd of 42,361 with an incredible catch against the wall. He followed this up with yet another exceptional catch in nearly the same spot during the third inning, further energizing the fans and his teammates.
KEY STAT
As the season progresses, it’s important to note that Toronto holds the best home record in the American League, boasting an impressive 44-22 record at their home stadium.
UP NEXT
The Blue Jays will continue their six-game homestand on Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Shane Bieber, with a record of 1-0 and a solid 1.50 earned run average, has been named the starting pitcher for Toronto.
