TORONTO – Addison Barger will have to undergo a video review after hitting his first walk-off home run in Major League Baseball, as he struggled to convey what it was like to be surrounded by Toronto Blue Jays teammates after the moment.
After Joey Loperpido started the ninth with a solo home run to left-center, Barger hit a 3-2 pitch against Los Angeles Angels (54-75) reliever Roanci Contreras (2-3) to give the home team a 5-4 win on Friday.
“I probably won’t remember anything,” Barger said. “Honestly, I probably would have passed out. It was an unbelievable moment.”
Early in the inning, in front of 25,421 at Rogers Centre, Barger hit a fastball deep down the right field line that was fouled.
“I’m definitely trying to drive the pitch,” Barger said. “But even if I get a walk there, it’s a big deal because it’s the winning run and Vladdy was on deck.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was resting that night, but he did hear the ceremonial first pitch from Canadian Olympic swimmer Summer McIntosh, who won three gold medals in Paris.
Toronto (61-68) manager John Schneider confirmed Guerrero is planned to replace Stuart Berroa as a pinch hitter behind Barger.
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The Angels scored four runs in the second inning, thanks to doubles by Anthony Rendon and Joe Adell and an RBI single by Taylor Ward, to take a 4-0 lead.
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But the Blue Jays maintained a narrow lead as starter Chris Bassitt recovered to throw six innings and throw 10 walks against the Angels’ last opponent.
“To his credit, if you look up, he’s got six runs,” Schneider said. “We really needed that with a thin bullpen.
“When he finished, I told him to try to bring out the positives from tonight. I know it was a messy inning, but the fact that he gave up five runs… that was something for him to improve on.”
There were also three outstanding defensive plays that allowed the Blue Jays to make a comeback. Berora caught Nolan Chanuel trying to double a single down the right-field line in the eighth.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk caught Jack Neto trying to steal in the same inning. Loperpido made a nice catch in the left field corner against the wall in Chanuel.
“I was taking notes on (Dalton Bashaw),” Loperpido said, referring to Toronto’s defensive maestro at centre.
After a rough start since being traded from the Houston Astros to Toronto, Loperpido has contributed on both offense and defense.
He’s hitting .435 (10-for-23 with a double, two triples, two homers and three RBIs) over his last seven games. He credits the Blue Jays coaching staff for adjusting his swing.
With these two home runs, the Blue Jays extended their home run streak to 12 games.
Chad Green (4-3) pitched the ninth for Toronto.
Bessitt allowed four hits and two walks while striking out six.
The home team tied the game with two runs in the fourth and added another run in the sixth.
In both games, Basho hit a single and a home run to extend his career-long on-base streak to 20, which is currently the longest in the American League.
Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz came out in the top of the seventh after Loperpido’s double. Kochanowicz gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out one.
Oh Danny Boy
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed that former Blue Jays catcher Danny Jensen will start when the season resumes at Fenway Park on Monday afternoon, June 26.
Jansen will make history as the first player to play for two teams in the same game. The Red Sox traded him on July 27.
“Yeah, he’s got it,” Cora told reporters Friday. “Let’s make history.”
The game was suspended two months ago due to bad weather.
On deck
Toronto right-hander Bowden Francis (6-3) will start the third of four games against the Angels on Saturday. Los Angeles will counter with right-hander Carson Fulmer (0-4).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
