2022 – Springer ends big night at the ballpark to spur Jays to seventh straight win

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George Springer stole the show Tuesday night with a mighty bat.

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It was an emotional and heartfelt evening with Hall of Famer and baseball personality Buck Martinez returning to the TV booth and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols appearing in his penultimate game in Toronto before he doesn’t call it a career.

Each received warm, boisterous ovations, but none compared to the roars given to Springer, whose grand slam sent Rogers Center into a frenzy.

It was his seventh career slam and his 18th homer of the season as the Jays upset the St. Louis Cardinals, 10-3, in a battle of birds flying different paths.

For Springer, it was his third hit of the game on a night where every player in Toronto’s starting lineup recorded at least one hit.

These scorching Jays have won seven in a row and nine of 10.

Prior to the start of this current streak, the Jays had lost nine of 10.

Under interim manager John Schneider, the Jays lost a game, but keep in mind the opposition hasn’t exactly been stellar.

The Cards came to town minus two of their best players in Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt because neither had received the COVID-19 vaccine, a requirement for entering the country.

St. Louis could have used both, but what the visitors needed most was throwing.

The charts went off early, but the Jays couldn’t create a split on the scoresheet.

Then came the decisive sixth and the killing blow launched by Springer on a 3-2 count.

In Toronto’s next at-bats, Alejandro Kirk went deep for his 12th bombshell of the season.

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The rout has become official.

YES WAY JOSE

Jays starter Jose Berrios couldn’t get past the sixth inning, but he will join an exclusive Toronto pitching club.

After giving up a home run in the top of the first inning, Berrios received a torrent of hits that the Jays would use to score three runs and take a 3-1 lead.

Berrios went 5.2 innings, striking out seven while allowing seven hits and three runs.

The damage was mitigated when Santiago Espinal’s jump in second sparked a 4-3 double play in the fifth set.

The Jays pitched Cavan Biggio at first base with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as DH.

Vlad Jr. went deep in the first inning for his 21st homer on a two-run outburst.

Berrios was making his 20th start of the season.

In each of his 11 home starts, the Jays have won, leaving him one game on the longest streak in club history set by Roy Halladay.

After Tuesday’s victory by the Jays, Berrios joined Doc.

Tim Mayza took the win, his fifth of the season.

CLASS ACT

Pujols gave Martinez a big hug before the game which would see the veteran make just his eighth start of the season at first base.

He came home in the first inning after the Cards took a 1-0 lead on a Dylan Carlson homer.

In one of those rare moments when Jays fans cheer on an opposing player unrelated to the city or the club, Pujols received overwhelming support.

He was genuinely touched by the gesture and greeted the fans’ applause as he raised his helmet.

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Pujols announced long ago in spring training that the 2022 season would be his last.

He began his illustrious major league run in 2001 with the Cardinals.

He entered the night with a career batting average of .302 at the Rogers Centre.

He took off for his first at bat.

On her second appearance on set, the ovation was polite, but barely thrilling.

He chose a single to right field to hit in a run, a shot that received applause from the fans, even though Pujols’ RBI single tied the game, 3-3.

ONE AND DONE

First-round pick Brandon Barriera can now officially qualify as a member of the Blue Jays family.

And according to a report from MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis, the Jays signed the kid to a deal that exceeds his No. 23 overall draft spot.

Normally, the draft slot is worth US$3.0769 million.

The kid signed a deal worth $3.5975 million.

Barriera, 18, is a left-handed pitcher whose signing means he is giving up his commitment to play at Vanderbilt.

Barriera was selected at the American Heritage School in Florida.

JUAN AND DONE

Much buzz has been created around the fate of Juan Soto, the 23-year-old currently plying his trade in Washington who many in the game have compared to the great Ted Williams.

As the trade deadline approaches, one of the teams reportedly seeking Soto’s services are the Cardinals.

The Jays have also been linked, but no one thinks they’ll be able to strike a deal that satisfies the Nats’ terms.

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Those in the know, better known as baseball insiders, say the Nationals want four to five elite prospects who are young, big leaguers with little service time.

Soto is on the block, but no one knows if a deal will be done by next week.

Soto, for those who don’t know, declined a 15-year offer from Washington worth a total of $440 million.

Soto is represented by uber agent Scott Boras.

His most high-profile clients are used to using free agency on a regular basis.

Hyun-Jin Ryu is among the hottest players in the Boras stable, but the southpaw hit free agency and the Jays rushed to sign former Cy Young nominee who may have launched his latest time in Toronto following an elbow injury.

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