TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays dugout was stunned Thursday when Ernie Clement hit a shoulder-high fastball over the left-field wall for his third straight home run.
The batter can’t hit a pitch that high, but Clement’s double drove in five runs in the bottom of the second to help Toronto (60-68) open the series 5-3 over the Los Angeles Angels (54-74).
“You’ve got to stop swinging at that pitch,” Clement said.
“I don’t get to do it that often. I’ve struck out twice on that pitch this year. I just try to center the ball with two strikes.”
The 96.7 mph fastball sailed 4.60 feet off the ground, making it the second-highest home run pitch since pitch tracking began in 2008.
The highest batting average was 4.61, but the circumstances were different. New York Yankees’ Kyle Higashioka hit a floater in a laughable game in 2022 when Chicago Cubs first baseman Frank Schwindel was on the mound.
“I think the whole dugout shared my sentiment of, ‘Oh my goodness,'” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “That’s usually a pop-up or a swing-and-miss… It was rare.”
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Clement, 28, has developed into a reliable everyday player this summer. The versatile infielder is hitting .307 (31-of-101) with five doubles, a triple, four home runs and 18 RBIs in his last 25 games.
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“I think he’s done a great job of adjusting to the game every day,” Schneider said. “If you go back to last year, the adjustments he’s made offensively have been really, really good. Defensively, he’s been great at third base, shortstop, second base, and on the mound. He does it all.”
Clement was crushed on the mound by the Blue Jays a month ago.
“It was incredible,” Clement said. “If you had told me two years ago that this would happen, when it happened in my career, you would have said you were a liar.
“I fought back, I worked hard, and it’s great to see the hard work pay off.”
Clement extended the team’s home run streak to 11 consecutive games, the longest since a 12-game home run streak spanning Aug. 28-Sept. 9, 2021.
Toronto opened the second inning with five straight hits in front of 25,900 at Rogers Centre. Spencer Horwitz, who won his second straight game with a home run, kept the momentum going with a double to left-center.
He scored on Alejandro Kirk’s double down the left-field line. Kirk scored on rookie Will Wagner’s single to center.
Wagner was on board when Clement detonated the bomb.
Rookie Joey Loperpido continued the momentum in the second inning with a triple to right-center. He scored on George Springer’s groundout to third.
Both teams used bullpen games. For Toronto, Ryan Burr got the opener and threw an inning before left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (5-2) came on.
Yabrough pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out four on 60 pitches.
“It was Bob Ross,” Schneider said, referring to the PBS artist. “(Yarbrough) was painting (the corner).”
After Yarbrough, Brendon Little and Tommy Nance pitched. Nance allowed a three-run home run to Niko Kavadas in the ninth.
The Angels’ first two pitchers, Brock Burke (1-1) and Mike Baumann, drove in three and two runs, respectively. Baumann provided Clement’s 10th home run.
BO Update
Bo Bichette is expected to join his teammates in Boston on Monday and continue his recovery until he is ready for a rehab assignment with the Blue Jays.
Schneider confirmed that Bichette is recovering from a right calf strain that has been bothering him since July 20 and has begun running at the Blue Jays’ complex in Dunedin, Fla.
On deck
Chris Bassitt (9-12) will start for the Blue Jays in the second game of a four-game set against the Angels on Friday. Los Angeles will be countered by right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (1-3).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
