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The Jays broke it open against the Halos’ bullpen in the seventh, starting the inning with five straight hits including bunt singles by Andres Gimenez and Jonatan Clase. Bo Bichette’s bases-loaded, two-run single made it 4-1 but they couldn’t push across any more.

Jeff Hoffman came on to protect a two-run lead in the ninth inning but walked the nine-hitter on four pitches to begin the inning and gave up back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out. A batter later, Jorge Soler ripped a slider down into the left-field corner for a walkoff three-run double.

It was Hoffman’s first blown save as a Blue Jay. Over his last two outings, the closer has retired only two of the nine batters he has faced.

Fastballs

Gimenez leaves game 

Along with another heartbreaking loss, the Jays may have lost their second baseman as well. Gimenez’s bunt single helped spark the three-run seventh, but he limped into the bag after his right quadriceps muscle tightened up. 

The three-time Gold Glove winner stayed in the game and gingerly made the trip around the bases — 90 feet at a time — but did not come out for defence in the bottom of the inning.

The Jays announced that he was removed as a precaution.

Take your base, Vladdy

Angels manager Ron Washington elected not to pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a big spot for the second straight game, intentionally walking the half-billion-dollar Blue Jay with a runner on second and two out in the third, preferring to take his chances with Anthony Santander.

The strategy worked ... again. Santander stranded a pair with a fly out to centre field.

Until Santander gets going, this might be something Guerrero needs to get used to. After Wednesday’s game, than that of Santander.

Thanks, kid

Berrios pitched in and out of trouble all night, but the Angels helped him out in the bottom of the first.

With runners on the corners and nobody out, the right-hander struck out Taylor Ward and Soler, then had to deal with Logan O’Hoppe, who leads the team with an .868 OPS.

With the count 1-and-2 on the Halos’ DH, Berrios missed with a fastball but Nolan Schanuel was running on the pitch. Alejandro Kirk threw him out easily to end the inning.

Mailbag

Joe Martin found me @wilnerness on Bluesky to ask if it’s “time to move Bo out of the leadoff spot until he starts hitting? Maybe put Springer back there?”

Bichette definitely isn’t off to a fantastic start, Joe, but he’s hitting .277 and is in the top 10 in the majors with 43 hits this season. Maybe we expect so much of a healthy Bo in his walk year that it feels like he hasn’t started hitting yet, but he’s been one of the Jays’ only productive hitters so far this season. 

The power hasn’t come yet, and he’s never going to walk a ton, but Bichette definitely isn’t the problem.