The Toronto Blue Jays have landed a punch in the ALCS.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning of Wednesday’s Game 3 against the Seattle Mariners, Toronto’s bats answered with a five-run third inning to snatch the lead back in front of a raucous T-Mobile Park crowd.
It all started with Ernie Clement, who ripped a leadoff double down the left-field line for his 11th hit of this post-season. Seattle’s lead lasted just two more pitches, as the Blue Jays got the big swing they had been looking for from perhaps the least likely member of their lineup to provide it.
Andrés Giménez lined a second-pitch sinker from Mariners starter George Kirby 399 feet over the wall in right-centre field to flip the momentum in the Pacific Northwest.
It was Giménez’s first home run since Aug. 27 and his first career playoff blast in his 24th post-season game.
The Blue Jays didn’t stop there, however, as Nathan Lukes kept the rally going with one out, lining a single into centre, then advancing to third on a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. double.
Kirby was able to get Anthony Santander to ground out for a second out, but Alejandro Kirk worked a walk, passing the baton to Daulton Varsho — who came through with his first hit of the series.
A 1-0 wild pitch brought Lukes in to score, but Varsho drove in Guerrero and Kirk with a line drive off the wall in right, putting the finishing touches on a five-run frame.
The Blue Jays scored more runs and totalled more extra-base hits in the inning than they had in Games 1 and 2 combined.
Toronto added on with solo shots in the fourth and fifth innings from George Springer and Guerrero.
