Blue Jays’ much-maligned offence comes alive in stunning comeback win

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The wait is finally over, the many lingering and persistent questions surrounding an inept Blue Jays offence no longer valid, a beleaguered attack able to exhale.

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At least for one day.

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And what a day it was, the kind of comeback win that will only be remembered if the momentum built from a stunning in-game turnaround is carried over in the days and weeks to follow.

For the first time all season, the Jays reached double digits in runs scored.

Home runs were produced by Bo Bichette, Davis Schneider and Danny Jansen.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s hot bat reached another level in banging out four hits, all sharply hit.

Schneider recorded three hits in total, but he also committed his second error since his call-up last season, while throwing out a runner at the plate.

Even Kevin Gausman’s start is forgotten in the wake of a stirring 10-8 win by the Blue Jays, who trailed 7-1 after the visiting Minnesota Twins finished taking their hacks in the top of the third inning.

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All the intangibles of character, perseverance and refusing to throw in the towel can easily be attached to this win, arguably the most important to a Blue Jays season that was heading south and looking to go deeper into the abyss.

Again, what to be gleaned, big picture, won’t be revealed until a sustained stretch of solid play is achieved.

Mind you, the way the Jays began the afternoon was not good, but in fairness some weird sequences did add up to conspire against the home side.

Once the Jays found their hitting groove, their play on the field was solid and their pitching on point, capped off by a save recorded by Jordan Romano.

Erik Swanson was credited with the win, his first of the season.

The Jays have not won a series since their time in San Diego when they took two of three games against the Padres on April 19 and 20.

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Series losses in K.C. would follow before Toronto returned home where series losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Royals unfolded.

Then came a lost series in Washington and split in Philly during a two-game set against the Phils before playing host to the Twins.

A victory in Sunday’s rubber match will give the Jays a much-needed series win.

Alek Manoah is scheduled to take the bump for the Jays.

MINNY MALAISE

Historically, it seems, the Twins have had Gausman’s number.

In his latest start, he gave up a single to lead off the game to Canadian Edouard Julien.

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Gausman then struck out the next two batters.

The roof, even though Rogers Centre remains enclosed, began to cave in.

It began when Max Kepler had the ball hit his bat on a check swing with the dribbler winding up in no-man’s land that resulted in an infield hit.

Up stepped Carlos Correa and his 1.189 career OPS.

Correa broke his bat on a softly hit single into centre field.

Seven batters would come to the plate and three runs scored before the Jays even took their first swings in the box.

Gausman went three innings, yielding seven runs (six were earned), while striking out six and waking two.

Saturday marked Gausman’s 12th career start versus the Twins.

In his previous 11, Gausman had posted a 6.35 ERA over 56.2 innings.

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JUSTIN CASE

The Jays continue to have Justin Turner bat in the cleanup spot.

Heading into Saturday, Turner had recorded three hits in his past seven games.

In his first at-bat, Turner flew out to centrefield.

He then hit into a double play.

Two additional hitless plate appearances would follow.

Turner’s struggles at the plate were quickly forgotten given the way Toronto’s bats exploded after the team fell behind so early in the day.

It goes without saying that the Jays will need Turner to produce.

When the final out had been recorded, the only player in Toronto’s starting lineup not to produce a hit was Turner, who went 0-for-5 at the plate.

BO KNOWS

The two hits Friday by Bichette, his first extra-base hit game since April 22, served as a tone setter for an accomplished hitter who has been struggling.

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When he turned on a pitch Saturday in going yard, it was Bichette’s first home run since April 9.

He also struck out, but Bichette’s at-bats have looked much better.

He batted in the sixth hole Friday and Saturday.

Bichette went 1-for-5 Saturday.

In his final at-bat, he raced down the line in trying to beat out an infield hit.

Bichette was called out at the bag at first, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION

Manoah will make his first appearance at Rogers Centre since last July 29 when the L.A. Angels were in town, a team that featured Shohei Ohtani.

Manoah’s season debut during Toronto’s time in Washington earlier in the week did not go well, despite one solid inning.

Last time fans saw Manoah on the mound in Toronto, a fastball thrown in the fifth inning struck Angels outfielder Taylor Ward on the side of Ward’s head, a pitch clocked at 91 mph.

The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.

Manoah would allow one run and four hits in 4.1 innings, while walking three and striking out six in Toronto’s win.

Against the Nationals, Manoah walked in a run and surrendered two home runs in an 11-8 win by Washington in the series rubber match.

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