BUFFALO, NY- If there was an Academy Award for, “Most Dramatic Major League Baseball Team,” The Toronto Blue Jays would run away with the award.
On Sunday afternoon, with a 1-2 count, and facing his final strike, outfielder Tesocar Hernandez laced a single through the left side of the infield for walk-off two-run single to give the Blue Jays (18-14) a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles (14-19) on Sunday afternoon at Sahlen Field.
After taking the first three games of a four game series with Baltimore, the Blue Jays sit just a half a game out of a wild card spot.
“It doesn’t matter if we are down one or two runs, or eight or nine runs it feels like we are going to go back and we are going to win the ball game,” Hernandez said. “That’s the feeling that we have right now. In the dugout, in the clubhouse and everywhere we go.”
The Blue Jays fell behind 1-0 early in the bottom of the first on a solo home-run by Orioles outfielder Ryan Mountcastle. But that changed in the bottom of the fourth when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extended his hit streak to 12 games on the season with an RBI single to tie the game 1-1.
Toronto took the lead in the fifth inning and pushed two more runs across the plate on a Cavan Biggio single and a Randal Grichuk sacrifice fly to extend its lead to 3-1.
But, the Orioles came storming back. After a double by Renato Nunez, Orioles catcher drove in Nunez to bring them within one. Ryan Mountcastle would hit a two-run home run moments later to give Baltimore a 4-3 lead.
Rowdy Tellez tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on a sharp line drive to to right field. But the Orioles would not go quietly. They would take the lead again on an infield single by Jose Iglesias in the top of the ninth inning.
This set the stage for another dramatic finish for Hernandez and the Blue Jays to deliver a win in dramatic fashion.
“The games are really exciting,” said Blue Jays Manager Charlie Montoyo. “I just talked to my parents and I said, ‘Man, I’m putting you through this every game and every night. Stay in shape. Keep those hearts going because it’s every game. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s been every game except a couple. It’s fun when you win games like this.”
YOUR OSCAR
— Trainwreck Sports (@TrainwreckSprts) August 30, 2020
MY OSCAR
TEOSCAR!!! HERNANDEZ DRIVES IN 2 FOR ANOTHER ELECTRIC WIN FOR THE JAYS!!!! pic.twitter.com/8FPiBNFnL9
The Blue Jays will turn to Chase Anderson tomorrow afternoon with a chance to sweep the Orioles. He has zero decisions on the season with a 3.68 ERA and 10 strikeouts.
First pitch is slated for 2:05PM.
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