31 May: The Toronto Blue Jays’ offence has come alive at the perfect time, finding its rhythm at the start of a critical seven-game homestand. Riding the momentum of a 12-0 rout in the series opener, the Blue Jays delivered another strong performance Friday night, defeating the struggling Oakland Athletics 11-7 at Rogers Centre.
Manager John Schneider praised his team’s all-around effort, emphasizing the importance of improvement in key areas. “This is the time to sharpen up where we need to, and the players are stepping up,” he said.
Toronto’s bats were red-hot, collecting 15 hits, including solo home runs from Addison Barger and Ernie Clement. Barger and Myles Straw each crossed the plate three times, while the bottom half of the batting order — Clement, Barger, Straw, and Nathan Lukes — contributed a combined nine hits and nine runs.
After a quiet six-game road trip that saw the Jays score just six runs, the offence exploded in back-to-back games, helping Toronto improve to 29-28 — their first time above .500 since April 21.
“We’re being more aggressive at the plate,” said Barger. “On the road, we hit some hard balls right at defenders. Now, things are finally falling and flying over the fence.”
Clement, who notched four hits, opened the third inning with a solo shot. Toronto built a 3-1 lead in the second inning and followed up with a three-run third, another trio of runs in the fifth, and a two-run sixth that included Barger’s homer.
Starter Chris Bassitt (5-3) secured the win despite a shaky outing, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings while striking out six. Reflecting on his performance, Bassitt admitted, “I’ve been far too inconsistent. When I’m locked in, I pitch great, but I haven’t been reliable enough.”
Oakland’s Jeffrey Springs (5-4) struggled from the outset, lasting just two innings and surrendering six earned runs, six hits, and six walks. The Athletics, now 23-35, have dropped 15 of their last 16 games. Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers each hit solo home runs in a bid to rally their team.
Looking ahead, Braydon Fisher is set to start for Toronto in Saturday’s matchup, while Oakland will send Gunnar Hoglund to the mound as they try to snap their losing skid.
