(Toronto) George Springer set the tone with a first-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland A’s 12-1 on Sunday.
Springer hit an 11th homer on Luis Medina’s second shot (1-7), which gave up four runs in five innings.
“It’s a huge achievement for him,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. He is not the prototype first hitter. I don’t know if there’s one in today’s game, really, but it’s a really cool achievement and it really pushed us forward. »
Medina allowed four hits and seven walks.
The Jays extended their lead later in the first, with Whit Merrifield crossing the plate on an error.
In the second, Springer scored a runner by hitting a double play ball. In the third it was the turn of Matt Chapman to register a run, the result of a bad throw from Medina.
Oakland fought back in the sixth, with a Tony Kemp homer. At the end of the inning, however, Springer restored the cushion by going there with a sacrifice ball.
Santiago Espinal added an automatic double good for two points in the seventh.
Other players joined in the party in the eighth: Bo Bichette slammed a one-run single and Cavan Biggio hit a three-run homer, before and after a productive Vladimir Guerrero option.
John Schneider’s club have lost only once in five games.
Springer became the second-most all-time homer with 55 homers in a game.
He and Alfonso Soriano were at 54.
” I am who I am. I have my own hitting style, Springer said. I’m not going to back down. I’m not the first to hit because I take a lot of pitches, I hit first because I’m myself. That’s what I intend to do. »
The record of 81 belongs to Rickey Henderson.
A member of four all-star teams, Springer was the 2017 World Series Most Valuable Player with Houston.
Yusei Kikuchi (7-2) struck out the A’s first 10 batters. In seven innings he struck out eight batters, allowing just one run and two hits.
“I haven’t been able to pitch until the seventh inning since I joined the Blue Jays, so that’s great,” explained. Kikuchi signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent in March 2022. I think I was able to save the bullpen, so I think today was really good. »
The next visitors to Rogers Center will be the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday through Thursday.