The Toronto Blue Jays continued their winning ways on Saturday, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 at Rogers Centre in a game that featured an unusual 12:15 p.m. start time. The victory extended Toronto's win streak to a season-high four games, putting the club in position to record a series sweep for the first time since opening weekend.
Springer Sets the Tone
Three pitches into the bottom of the first inning, George Springer launched a solo home run off Pirates ace Paul Skenes, giving the Blue Jays an early 1-0 lead. The blast was Springer's fifth of the season and the 65th leadoff homer of his career, moving him into second place all-time behind the legendary Rickey Henderson (81). The veteran outfielder's timely hit energized the crowd, which had gathered for Cricket Day at the Park, a giveaway promotion celebrating the club's 50th anniversary.
Springer's at-bat served as the ultimate tone setter, as the Jays relished the opportunity to face one of baseball's premier starters. A tweak to the batting order saw Vladimir Guerrero Jr. back in the No. 3 hole, with Yohendrick Pinango batting cleanup.
Skinny on Skenes
The electric right-hander needed 22 pitches to escape the first inning, surrendering six total bases. Besides Springer's homer, Skenes allowed a double to Pinango. He settled down briefly with an 11-pitch second inning, yielding only a single to Andres Gimenez, and retired the side in order in the third. However, the Jays continued to apply pressure, with Jesus Sanchez doubling in the fourth and Springer adding another double in the fifth. Through five innings, Skenes' pitch count stood at 81, with five hits allowed and two strikeouts. The sixth inning proved to be his undoing, as the Jays chased him after scoring three runs.
The Corbin-ator
Patrick Corbin, signed to a $1-million contract out of desperation as Toronto's starters struggled, turned in his longest outing of the season, lasting six innings. While the game was not a pitchers' duel, runs were scarce for much of the day. The Pirates tied the game 1-1 in the top of the sixth with two outs, but Corbin ultimately outpitched Skenes, a scenario few would have predicted. The left-hander has become a reliable option for the Jays, and his performance Saturday underscored the value of that investment.
Swinging with Sanchez
Jesus Sanchez continued to make an impact, collecting two doubles, scoring a run, and driving in a run. The hit-and-miss hitter emerged as a key catalyst in Toronto's win, one day after the Jays managed five hits in a 6-2 victory that was not decided until late, aided by three Pirates errors. In the opening two games of the series, the Blue Jays did not commit a single error until reliever Yariel Rodriguez made an ill-advised throw to second base on a pickoff attempt in the eighth inning, leading to an unearned run.
Up Next
The series finale on Sunday features a 12:15 p.m. start time, a consequence of sports leagues selling broadcast rights to streaming services. The Blue Jays will send right-hander Dylan Cease to the mound, while the Pirates counter with righty Mitch Keller.
