José Soriano Leads Blue Jays to Win After Sloppy Loss
The José Soriano Blue Jays connection continued to pay off as the right-hander delivered one of his strongest performances since joining Toronto, helping the team bounce back from a sloppy loss with a 4-2 victory over the Athletics on Tuesday.
Soriano allowed only two runs over seven innings as the Blue Jays produced the kind of disciplined performance they needed after Monday’s frustrating defeat. Toronto’s victory also kept the team within one game of Cleveland in the race for the third American League wild-card spot.
José Soriano sets the tone for Blue Jays
After allowing six runs in a mistake-filled loss the previous day, Toronto needed a better start against Oakland.
Soriano provided exactly that.
The 27-year-old right-hander allowed six hits and two solo home runs but otherwise kept the Athletics’ lineup under control. He walked one batter and struck out three while recording 16 ground-ball outs.
Soriano needed only 89 pitches to complete seven innings, giving Toronto valuable length at a crucial point of the season. His ability to limit hard contact and keep the ball on the ground helped the Blue Jays avoid the defensive chaos that had hurt them in the previous game.
Blue Jays answer with early home runs
Toronto’s offence also responded quickly.
Josh Smith opened the second inning with a solo home run against Oakland starter Jack Perkins. Kazuma Okamoto then followed with another solo shot, giving the Blue Jays back-to-back home runs.
Okamoto’s homer was particularly significant. It was his 30th home run of the season, making him only the fifth Japanese player in MLB history to reach 30 homers in a season.
The Blue Jays added two more runs in the sixth inning. Alejandro Kirk drove in one with a single, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored on a double play to extend Toronto’s advantage to 4-1. MLB’s official game account confirmed the sequence of scoring plays.
Blue Jays clean up their defence
Perhaps just as important as the offence was Toronto’s defensive improvement.
The Blue Jays had committed three errors in Monday’s loss, along with other plays that could have been scored as errors. Against Oakland, the infield was considerably sharper.
Okamoto, Andrés Giménez, Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. all made important defensive plays behind Soriano, helping the pitcher escape several difficult situations.
Oakland managed two solo home runs, from Carlos Cortes and Donovan Walton, but could not produce the bigger rally it needed.
What José Soriano’s win means for Toronto
The victory was important beyond the final score.
Toronto entered the game trying to stay alive in a tightly contested wild-card race. The Blue Jays improved to 73-73 with the win and remained just one game behind Cleveland for the final American League wild-card position.
Soriano’s performance also provided encouragement for a Toronto rotation that needs reliable innings during the final stretch of the season.
After joining the Blue Jays at the trade deadline, Soriano has been thrust into his first serious playoff race. His seven-inning outing against Oakland showed why Toronto acquired him and why his performances could become increasingly important as the postseason race enters its final stages.
The Blue Jays will now look to finish the series strongly against Oakland, with another opportunity to gain ground in the wild-card race.