Blue Jays Rally Late to Edge Astros in Extra-Inning Thriller
What a night it was in Toronto, where the Blue Jays pulled off a dramatic comeback against the Houston Astros in a game that had everything—from early struggles, late-game heroics, and even a walk-off moment in extra innings.
The Astros came out swinging right from the first inning. Carlos Correa wasted no time in putting Houston ahead, crushing a two-run homer that set the tone. Later on, Yainer Diaz tacked on another run with a sixth-inning double, giving the Astros what looked like a comfortable 3-1 lead. Toronto’s starter, Shane Bieber, had to grind his way through 5 and two-thirds innings. He struck out four but gave up nine hits and three runs before handing it over to the bullpen.
For much of the night, it looked like Houston’s pitchers were in full control. Luis Garcia, making just his second start since Tommy John surgery, had to leave the game early with elbow discomfort, but the Astros’ bullpen held things together. In fact, for five full innings, Toronto didn’t record a hit. That streak finally snapped when George Springer led off the sixth with a monster home run—his 28th of the season—that woke up the crowd and gave the Jays life.
Also Read:But the real turning point came in the bottom of the ninth. Down by two runs, the Blue Jays needed a spark. And that’s exactly what Isiah Kiner-Falefa delivered, lining a clutch two-run single that tied the game at 3-3 and sent it into extras.
In the 10th, Toronto wasted no time putting pressure on Houston’s defense. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached on a bouncer that Jose Altuve couldn’t convert into an out, moving the lead runner, Myles Straw, to third. With one out, Tyler Heineman stepped to the plate. He chopped a ball to first baseman Christian Walker, who threw home in a desperate attempt to keep Straw from scoring. But the throw wasn’t in time, and Straw crossed the plate with the winning run. It was officially scored as a fielder’s choice, but for Toronto, it felt like so much more—a walk-off win and a huge momentum swing.
Relievers Yariel Rodriguez, Brendon Little, Tommy Nance, Seranthony Dominguez, and Jeff Hoffman combined for scoreless work out of the bullpen, giving the offense a chance to climb back. Hoffman earned the win, improving to 9-6 on the season.
It wasn’t all good news for Toronto, though. Earlier in the day, Bo Bichette was placed on the injured list with a sprained knee. The All-Star shortstop has been one of the best hitters in baseball this season, so his absence will be felt. Still, players like Ernie Clement and Kiner-Falefa stepped up, showing depth in the roster when it mattered most.
The victory snapped a two-game slide for the Blue Jays, who improved to 83-61, keeping them ahead of the Yankees in the AL East race. Next up, Jose Berríos takes the mound for Toronto as they look to build on this emotional win, while Houston will counter with Jason Alexander.
It wasn’t just a game—it was a reminder of why September baseball is so special.
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