TORONTO – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gave his Hall of Fame father something to cheer about in what otherwise has been a doom and gloom season for the Toronto Blue Jays.
With Vladimir Guerrero Sr. watching among the 27,910 at Rogers Centre, his son socked a home run for the first time with dad live and in-person as the Blue Jays (53-62) managed a 7-6 win in the rubber match against the Baltimore Orioles (68-48) on Thursday.
Guerrero Jr. extended his hit streak to 20 games with a four-RBI outing and was a single shy of hitting for the cycle.
He hit his two-run homer in the fifth inning as his father watched from a suite.
“I didn’t think about it until I touched home. That’s why I pointed at him,” Guerrero Jr. said, adding his father did see him hit a homer in an all-star game.
As Guerrero Jr. talked with reporters, Blue Jays adviser and former all-star Victor Martinez walked by and said, “he’s going to be better than his father.”
Guerrero Jr. replied, “I’ve always said I don’t want to be better than my father, just as good.”
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Guerrero doubled home George Springer in the first inning, belted an opposite-field two-run shot for his 23rd homer in the fifth and tripled in another run off the right-field wall in the sixth.
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Last week’s American League player-of-the-week is just two shy of reaching his career-best 22-game hit streak, set in 2022. He became only the second player in Blue Jays’ history to check in with two hit streaks of 20 or more games.
Damaso Garcia registered hit streaks of 20 and 21 games in 1982 and 1983, respectively.
“You put him up with any hitter in baseball right now,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “It’s really hard to do what he’s done in 20 games. You can be one for four, one for five with a broken bat, infield single.
“The fact that he’s impacting the ball the way he is multiple times each night just shows you how good he is.”
During his streak, Guerrero has hit .507 (37 for 73) with 11 doubles, a triple, 10 homers and 22 RBI. On Thursday, he went three for four with a fly ball out to right field in the second inning. He also scored twice.
“The most impressive thing is that he’s hitting the ball where it’s pitched,” Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (10-8) said.
“He’s locked in. He’s the hottest hitter in baseball.”
Gausman survived a two-run homer from Colton Cower in the third inning. He yielded two runs on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts in eight innings. His 100-pitch effort was his fourth win in his last four decisions.
The Orioles scored four runs on five hits off relievers Zach Pop and Chad Green to make for a nervous ninth for the 27,910 at Rogers Centre.
After three doubles Wednesday, Toronto rookie shortstop Leo Jimenez doubled and scored in the sixth inning on Daulton Varsho’s single.
Varsho, hitting in the No. 2 slot ahead of Guerrero, singled, walked twice and scored three times.
Orioles starter Dean Kremer (4-9) lasted 4 ⅓ innings, giving up Guerrero’s homer, five runs on four hits with five walks and six strikeouts.
OH BABY
The Blue Jays lost reliever Genesis Cabrera, placing him on the paternity list Thursday. To fill his roster spot, Toronto acquired Tommy Nance from the San Diego Padres for cash considerations.
The 33-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since October 2022, when he was with the Miami Marlins.
ON DECK
The Blue Jays open a three-game set at home against the Oakland Athletics on Friday.
Oakland had the second-lowest win total in the American League at 48 entering play Thursday. Only the Chicago White Sox have been worst at 28.
Jose Berrios will start for Toronto, while the Athletics will counter with right-hander Mitch Spence (7-7).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
