Blue Jays walk off Angels 4-3 on July 5 after Ernie Clement's bunt forces an error. The win is overshadowed by an injury to key player Andrés Giménez.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It wasn't a towering blast or a line drive into the gap. It was a bunt, a desperate throw, and a mad dash to the plate. In the most improbable fashion, the Toronto Blue Jays walked off the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Saturday, a chaotic ending that perfectly encapsulates the grit and good fortune fueling this incredible six-game winning streak.
With the win, the Blue Jays improved to a formidable 30-16 at home, proving once again that Rogers Centre is their fortress.
The bottom of the 10th was pure baseball mayhem. With Myles Straw on third, Ernie Clement laid down a sacrifice bunt. Angels pitcher Sam Bachman fielded it cleanly but rushed his throw to first, sending it sailing wide. Straw, running on contact, never broke stride and slid into home, igniting a wild celebration. It was a stunning, unconventional end to a game that saw the Jays build an early lead on RBI singles from Bo Bichette and the now-injured Andrés Giménez, only for the Angels' Jo Adell to tie it with a three-run blast in the seventh.
The joy of the walk-off was tempered by a major concern. Second baseman Andrés Giménez, who drove in a run in the sixth, was forced to leave the game with a left ankle injury. It's the same ankle he tweaked earlier in the week, an issue that already cost him a game. As his teammates celebrated, Giménez was preparing for an MRI that will determine the severity of the injury and how long the team might be without its dynamic infielder. Losing him for any significant time would be a massive blow.
The potential loss of Giménez is especially concerning given the team's already-strained roster. Just a day earlier, the Jays made the tough decision to transfer outfielder Anthony Santander to the 60-day injured list with shoulder inflammation, officially sidelining him until late summer. The corresponding moves, optioning lefty Justin Bruihl and selecting the contract of RHP Lazaro Estrada, show the front office is constantly shuffling the deck. This team's depth is being tested, and another key injury is the last thing they need during this critical stretch.
Despite the injury cloud, there's no denying the magic surrounding this team. Riding high after an emotional sweep of the rival Yankees, the Blue Jays are playing with unmatched confidence. The chemistry is palpable, and they're executing in the clutch moments. Starter Eric Lauer was brilliant, retiring the first 12 Angels he faced, and Chad Green locked it down for the win. It’s a full team effort, and fans on social media are eating up every second of the drama, especially Saturday's bizarre and beautiful walk-off.
As the dust settles on another thrilling victory, all eyes turn to two things: the MRI results for Andrés Giménez and the right arm of Max Scherzer. The future Hall of Famer will take the mound tomorrow as the Jays go for the series win and their seventh straight victory. Can Mad Max deliver and can the Jays' 'next man up' mentality overcome yet another challenge? The answer will tell us a lot about just how far this surging team can go.
