Toronto Blue Jays erase 7-0 deficit, beat Texas Rangers in entertaining home opener
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Posted April 8, 2022 11:29 pm.
Last Updated April 8, 2022 11:43 pm.
The Toronto Blue Jays proved the price of admission is undoubtedly worth it, erasing an inauspicious start that saw the club down 7-0 early to storm back and win 10-8 in the home opener.
It was Toronto’s largest comeback since 2019 against the Tampa Bay Rays. It’s also the largest opening day comeback since 1950.
Blue Jays starting pitcher, Jose Berrios, couldn’t get through the first inning and was pulled after giving up four earned runs on three hits. He also walked two batters.
But the resilient Toronto Blue Jays chipped away, led initially by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hit two RBI singles. Alejandro Kirk added a sacrifice fly RBI, which eventually led to Teoscar Hernandez’s three-run bomb in the fifth inning to tie the game at 7-7.
Thanks to a double from Santiago Espinal, the Blue Jays would take the lead an inning later, but the Texas Rangers would quickly tie it on a solo home run by Adolis Garcia. It preceded what would turn out to be another exciting bottom half of the seventh, which saw Gurriel Jr. drive in Hernandez on a play that was overturned after initially being ruled as out at home plate.
In case you didn't know…
WE ARE #NEXTLEVEL pic.twitter.com/xQXZhaPJdg
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 9, 2022
Danny Jansen hit a solo home run for insurance, capping the comeback for Toronto in one of the most exciting and entertaining home openers in team history.
Markham, Ont. native Jordan Romano shut the door for his first save of the season, striking out two.
A capacity crowd of 45,022 packed in to see Guerrero Jr. and the upstart of the Toronto Blue Jays playing in front of a packed capacity crowd at the Rogers Centre for the first time since 2019. The team was forced to call Buffalo, N.Y., home for much of the last two years due to COVID-19 and federal health regulations.
Manager Charlie Montoyo was forced to use his bullpen early, opting to go with eight relievers on the night.
“It didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, but the important thing is that we won the game,” Berrios said. “I am glad we have great teammates and a great team. They had my back, and we won the game.”
Newcomers, former faces leave impression
Former Blue Jay infielder and 2021 American League MVP candidate Marcus Semien returned to Toronto, going 1-for-4 with a single and a walk. Semien signed a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers in the offseason.
Matt Chapman made his highly anticipated Jays debut. He struggled at the plate with three strikeouts but certainly looked the part defensively, making a pair of impressive throws from the hot corner. Chapman, 28, was acquired from the Oakland Athletics ahead of the new season.
A new bullpen addition for Toronto also played an essential role in Friday’s home win. Yimi Garcia pitched a clean eighth inning for the Blue Jays — a high leverage situation that he’s expected to get the call for this season. Garcia, 31, signed a two-year, $11 million deal with Toronto.