TORONTO – Vladimir Guerrero extended his hit streak to 21 games with two singles, but it was his running catch in foul territory that had his teammates talking after the Toronto Blue Jays’ win on Friday.
The Blue Jays (54-62) prevailed 3-1 in the series opener against the Oakland Athletics (48-69), thanks to Guerrero and an outstanding eight-strikeout outing from Jose Berrios (10-9).
With the game tied in the sixth inning, the Athletics had runners on first and third and two out. Guerrero chased down the third out, and after he snared Shea Langeliers’ foul pop-up he crashed into the netting and the first row of the seats.
“I told him it was kind of a fake dive,” said George Springer, who led off the Blue Jays half of the first inning with a solo shot to left field for his 12th homer.
Guerrero wasn’t done. In the bottom half of the sixth, he slammed his second sharp single of the game with one out. He then advanced to third on a throwing error from Athletics shortstop Max Schuemann and scored on Alejandro Kirk’s fielder’s choice groundout to third.
“It’s like watching my two kids be him playing PlayStation,” Berrios said of Guerrero’s recent play.
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The Blue Jays’ hot first baseman singled sharply in the first and sixth innings, going 2 for 4.
His streak has produced a .506 average (39 for 77) with 11 doubles, a triple, 10 homers and 22 RBI.
“The play he made it to end the sixth, that kind of gets overlooked,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “It’s a pretty damn good play, and it kind of bails out Jose.”
Guerrero almost made another catch in the fifth inning in foul territory, but couldn’t come up with a sliding catch. He then pointed to Springer behind him in right field, smiling and suggested jokingly that Springer should have been there.
“I told him he’s the one with gold on his glove,” Springer said, referring to Guerrero’s gold glove honours in 2022.
The Athletics entered the game having gone 11-7 since the all-star break, but they were no match for Berrios.
His seven-inning performance that featured an effective curve ball held the Athletics to a single run on six hits and a walk.
On the heels of strong starts from veterans Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman earlier in the week, Berrios was just as good before 39,894 at Rogers Centre.
“I had good command of my pitches, especially the curve,” he said.
Toronto rookie shortstop Leo Jimenez also made a memorable diving stab on a line drive off the bat of Langeliers, the same victim on Guerrero’s catch.
The teams traded early solo home runs.
Springer smacked a 421-drive into the second deck in left field in the first inning.
Daulton Varsho followed up with a sharp single to right field, but he was tossed out trying to go first to third on Guerrero’s single to centre.
In the third, Oakland rookie third baseman Darrell Hernaiz belted his first homer in his 77th at-bat. His solo blast just cleared the wall in left field to tie the game.
Athletics starter Mitch Spence (7-8) gave up two runs in his 5 2/3 innings with two strikeouts.
Spencer Horwitz closed out the scoring with a monster solo homer into the third deck in right field in the eighth inning.
Reliever Chad Green pitched a clean ninth inning for his 11th save.
CHASING RICKEY
Springer’s leadoff homer was the 58th of his career. Only former Blue Jays outfielder Rickey Henderson has more in Major League Baseball history with 81.
ON DECK
Yariel Rodriguez (1-4) will start for Toronto in the middle game of the three-game set against Oakland on Saturday. The Athletics will counter with righty Osvaldo Bido (2-3).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2024.