Donaldson had his first three-homer game Sunday in a 9-6 win that gave Toronto a sweep of Minnesota. “I tried to enjoy it for a second”, Donaldson said.
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Dozens of fans tossed hats onto the field to celebrate the home run hat trick after Donaldson, the AL MVP in 2015, hit a solo shot off Alex Wimmers in the eighth. That’s going to happen on occasion if you’re as ground-ball oriented as Stroman, who leads all Major League Baseball starters with a 60.9 percent ground ball rate.
Toronto’s team earned-run average during the seventh inning or later is a boosted 4.18 compared to their overall ERA of 3.79 this season.
Despite leading by 5-runs at one point, the Blue Jays eventually crawled their way back.
Rockies 5, Nationals 3: Nolan Arenado went 4 for 4, hitting his 35th home run and a triple, and drove in three runs in Colorado’s victory over Washington.
Kyle Gibson couldn’t make it out of the sixth inning in Sunday’s no-decision against the Blue Jays, allowing four runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 frames.
If the Blue Jays defeat the Twins on Sunday it will give them a 4-2 home stand before they travel to Baltimore for a three-game series against the Orioles, who are third in the AL East.
“We’re confident, we’ve been the same way, to be honest with you, since spring training, since previous year”, said Stroman. Troy Tulowitzki lined out, but the three-run inning cut Minnesota’s lead down and set up Upton’s heroics.
Reliever Scott Feldman picked up the win in relief for the Jays. It scored Jose Bautista, who led off the inning with a double on a drive deep to left center that left fielder Robbie Grossman appeared to have caught until the ball was jarred loose when he collided with center fielder Danny Santana.
Donaldson also becomes the 18th player this season to record a three-homer game. Santana left the game with a left shoulder sprain as a result of the collision and was replaced by Eddie Rosario in centre field. The run scored when Max Kepler’s grounder deflected off Dickey’s foot to second baseman Devon Travis, who got the forceout at second. He was safe at second when on Donaldson’s throwing error on a forceout attempt on Brian Dozier’s grounder. A day after trouncing the Orioles 14-4, NY moved within 2 1/2 games of them for the second AL wild-card spot. Miguel Sano hit a two-run single.
Dickey ran into trouble in the fifth giving up a one-out single to Rosario, followed by walking Dozier and Joe Mauer to load up the bases for Kepler once again.
Ivan Nova threw six sharp innings before leaving early because of a hurting left hamstring, and Pittsburgh hit three solo homers to rally for its eighth straight road victory.
“I kind of knew it would be a triple once it got by him”, Upton Jr. said, “but rounding second I saw (third base coach Luis Perez) kept waving me and I kept going”.
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RHP Bo Schultz was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday when LHP Aaron Loup was designated for assignment, Schultz add a power arm to the bullpen.
