The Toronto Blue Jays aren’t done in the American League Championship Series yet. They beat the Seattle Mariners 13-4 in Game 3 to cut the series deficit to 2-1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the team’s $500 million superstar, broke out of his early-series slump. His spectacular performance reminded everyone why he’s one of baseball’s most feared sluggers.
Guerrero’s Four-Hit Performance That Stood Out
Guerrero Jr. was 0-for-7 in his first seven at-bats of the ALCS. Then he went 4-for-4 with a solo home run, two doubles, and a single. He just missed out on hitting for the cycle. The Blue Jays’ first baseman hit a key double that almost broke through the left field wall. Then he hit a home run over center fielder Julio Rodriguez’s outstretched glove. He almost completed the cycle with a near-triple into the right-center gap.
Guerrero’s effect went beyond his own play. He told his teammate Andrés Giménez that he would hit a home run before the game. “I told him to pull the ball,” Guerrero said in a postgame interview with Fox Sports. “He listened to me, and thankfully, he hit a home run today.”
Blue Jays Show Off Their Historic Power
During their offensive explosion at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Toronto hit five home runs and 18 hits. They achieved a total of 2,004 feet of home run distance. George Springer, Giménez, Alejandro Kirk, and Addison Barger all hit home runs, which quieted the Seattle crowd.
In the important third inning, Toronto scored five runs to come back from a 2-0 deficit. Rodriguez had given them the lead with a two-run home run in the first inning. Giménez started the comeback with a two-run home run off Mariners starter George Kirby. Kirby gave up eight hits before being taken out of the game.
Being aggressive works
Toronto’s offense was based on attacking early in counts. All 18 of their hits came within the first three pitches of each at-bat. Guerrero said, “If they give us the first pitch, the one we’re looking for, we’ll attack and be aggressive.”
The Blue Jays hit 13 “barrels,” which are balls that leave the bat at the best speed and angle. Eleven of these hits were hits, which is a lot more than the 10 they got in the first two games of the series. Shane Bieber pitched well for Toronto, striking out eight batters. He gave up only two runs and four hits in six innings.
What’s Next for the Series
On Thursday, October 16, at T-Mobile Park, Toronto will try to tie the best-of-seven series at 2-2 in Game 4. The Blue Jays’ powerful offense showed that they are still dangerous. Even though they lost the first two games at Rogers Centre in Toronto and were down 2-0, they remain a threat.
