Headline (H1): Blue Jays Stifle Mariners with Stellar Defense and Pitching in 3-1 Victory
Subheadings (H2, H3)
- Jays’ Defense Makes History With Unprecedented Outfield Assists
- Francis and Pen commanded the mound, holding Seattle to just one earned run
- Offense Recap: Blue Jays score early and often in tight victory
- Up Next: Gilbert vs. Berríos in Sunday’s series finale
Article
Digging into the highlights of the Blue Jays’ 3-1 win over the Mariners, two standout factors shone brightly: a record-setting defensive performance and a dominant pitching display.
Jays’ Defense Makes History
The Toronto Blue Jays made history with an exceptional defensive effort, led by outfielder Addison Barger’s unprecedented three outfield assists in a single game. The last time a Jay accomplished this feat was in 1978, when Rick Bosetti pulled off the trick. (Baseball Almanac)
Barger’s gem included catching Cal Raleigh trying to advance to second in the fourth inning, preventing Randy Arozarena from racing from first to third on a single later in the same inning, and tagging out Rowdy Tellez attempting to move up to third on a flyout in the fifth.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk also chipped in, nailing Julio Rodríguez at second base attempting to steal. The call was initially made on the field but was overturned on review.
Francis and Pen Dominate
Starting pitcher Bowden Francis delivered a masterful performance, throwing six innings while allowing just five hits, one earned run, one walk, and racking up five strikeouts. He exited at 77 pitches (52 strikes), likely with more in the tank but with the bullpen having been strong as of late.
Relievers Mason Fluharty, Chad Green, Yimi Garcia, and Jeff Hoffman protected the lead, with Hoffman securing his fifth save of the season, fanning two in the ninth.
Offense Recap
The Blue Jays scored early and often, tallying solo runs in each of the first, second, and fourth innings. Bo Bichette started the scoring with an RBI single in the first, followed by George Springer’s two-RBI performance – a sacrifice fly in the second and an RBI single in the fourth. Kirk added a crucial insurance run on an RBI single in the fourth.
Up Next
Sunday’s series finale pits Logan Gilbert (1-1, 2.38) against José Berríos (1-1, 5.16) in a 3:00 PM ET affair.
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FAQ
Q: How many outfield assists did Addison Barger register in today’s game?
A: Three
Q: Who was the last Jay to record three outfield assists in a game?
A: Rick Bosetti, in 1978
Q: What was Bowden Francis’ final pitch count?
A: 77 pitches (52 strikes)
Did you know?
Blue Jays outfielders have combined for just 19 assists all season. Barger’s three in today’s game alone account for nearly 16% of that total!
Pro tip
Keep an eye on the Matchups page for updates on pitching change news and Hot/Cold streak trends for both teams’ batters to help optimize your fantasy sports lineups!