For the first time in exactly a year, the Toronto Blue Jays slugged five home runs in a 10-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Two of those homers came from George Springer, who collected three runs batted in from the two blasts. It’s the first time Springer has hit two home runs in a game since July 21st against the Detroit Tigers.
Joining Springer in the home run parade were Alejandro Kirk and Spencer Horwitz, who both hit a ball out of Rogers Centre in the fourth inning. Kirk has now hit four home runs on the year, which is the second lowest since he’s been in the Majors (1 home run in 2020).
Leo Jimenez also hit a home run in the fifth inning and collected two hits in the game. Jimenez has been better on the offensive side lately, getting a hit in four of his last six games.
According to Keegan Matheson, MLB writer, the last time the Blue Jays hit five home runs in a game was back on August 20th, 2023, against, funny enough, the Reds.
Toronto’s lineup also had four played that collected two hits, which were Springer, Jimenez, Joey Loperfido, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Since joining Toronto, Loperfido is batting just .163, but he’s now collected two hits in a game today and last Sunday against the Cubs.
Loperfido’s recent success could be due to his talk with Blue Jays manager John Schneider, where the two spoke about the hitter’s struggles and trying to work on adjustments at the plate, according to a Sportsnet article.
Young Blue Jays Addison Barger and Will Wagner also drove in a run as Toronto lit up the scoreboard for a double-digit win.
Getting the winning decision was Toronto starting pitcher José Berríos, who allowed two earned runs in 6.0 innings pitched. Berríos has now pitched three straight starts where he has given up two earned runs or less. His earned run average in August sits at a clean 3.12.
A not-so-clean ERA is 5.43, which is what Reds pitcher Carson Spiers’ earned run average is currently at after he gave up nine earned runs on 13 hits tonight.
In two seasons in the Majors, Spiers has a career ERA of 6.17, which is a rough start to his career in the big leagues.
Cincinnati scored three of their runs from Noelvi Marte’s RBI single in the second. Then, in the sixth, Tyler Stephenson grounded out to score Elly De La Cruz from 3rd base. Finally, Spencer Steer collected another RBI in the series, scoring Stuart Fairchild on a single.
The two teams will face off in the series finale tomorrow, as Toronto SP Yariel Rodríguez will face Reds SP Nick Martinez.
Martinez is a former reliever turned starter and has a 3.17 ERA on the year, with a solid 1.05 WHIP in 97.0 innings.
Rodríguez himself is hoping to avoid giving up the long ball in another outing after he allowed three home runs to the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
