TORONTO – Jaws dropped in the Toronto Blue Jays dugout when Ernie Clement hit an above-the-shoulder-high fastball over the left-field wall for his third homer in three straight games on Thursday.
Hitters aren’t supposed to knock pitches that high out of the park, but Clement’s two-run shot highlighted a five-run second inning to push Toronto (60-68) to a series-opening 5-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels (54-74).
“I got to stop swinging at that pitch,” Clement said.
“I can’t do that very often. I’ve struck out on that pitch a couple of times this year. I was just trying to get the barrel of the ball with two strikes.”
The 96.7 mile-per-hour fastball was 4.60 feet off the ground, the second-highest pitch for a home run since pitch tracking began in 2008.
The highest was 4.61, but under different circumstances. New York Yankee Kyle Higashioka hit a floater from Chicago Cubs first baseman Frank Schwindel when he took to the mound late in a 2022 laugher.
“I think the whole dugout shared my sentiment of ‘holy crap,'” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “That’s usually a pop-up swing or a swing and a miss … it was pretty rare to see.”
The 28-year-old Clement has developed into a reliable everyday player this summer. The versatile infielder has enjoyed a .307 (31 for 101) average with five doubles, a triple, 4 home runs and 18 RBI in last 25 outings.
“I think he’s done a great job of transitioning into playing every day,” Schneider said. “Going back to last year, some adjustments he’s made offensively have been really, really good. Defensively, he’s been outstanding at third, short, second, and on the mound. He kind of does it all.”
Clement mopped up for the Blue Jays on the mound in a rout a month ago.
“It’s been awesome,” Clement said. “Two years ago, if you told me this was going to happen, I would (have) told you you were a liar, where I was in my career.
“I’ve battled back, and I’ve worked hard. It’s cool to see the hard work pay off.”
Clement extended his team’s streak of home runs to 11 games in a row, the longest stretch since belting 12 straight in 2021 between Aug. 28 and Sept. 9.
Toronto opened the second with five straight hits before 25,900 at Rogers Centre. Spencer Horwitz, coming off back-to-back games with homers, stayed hot with a hard-hit double to left centre.
He scored on Alejandro Kirk’s double down the left-field line. Kirk scored on rookie Will Wagner’s single up the middle.
Wagner was aboard when Clement launched his blast.
Newcomer Joey Loperfido kept the good vibrations going in the second with a triple to right centre. He scored on George Springer’s ground out to third.
Both teams employed a bullpen game. For Toronto, Ryan Burr opened and went an inning before lefty Ryan Yarbrough (5-2) arrived on the scene.
Yarbrough went five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out four with 60 pitches.
“He was Bob Ross,” Schneider said, referring to the PBS painter. “(Yarbrough) was painting (the corners).”
After Yarbrough, Brendon Little and Tommy Nance pitched. Nance surrendered a three-run homer to Niko Kavadas in the ninth.
The Angels’ first two pitchers, Brock Burke (1-1) and Mike Baumann, were responsible for three and two runs, respectively. Baumann served up Clement’s 10th homer.
BO UPDATE
Bo Bichette will join his teammates in Boston on Monday to continue his recovery with the Blue Jays until he’s ready for a rehab assignment.
Schneider confirmed Bichette began running at the Blue Jays complex in Dunedin, Fla., as he continues to heal from a right calf strain that has kept him out since July 20.
ON DECK
Chris Bassitt (9-12) will start for the Blue Jays in the second outing of the four-game set against the Angels on Friday. Los Angeles will counter with righty Jack Kochanowicz (1-3).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2024.