Two dingers by George Springer pave way for Blue Jays’ narrow win over Astros


Montoyo gets ejected for the second time

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The Blue Jays followed the lead of their leadoff hitter, George Springer, on Saturday afternoon.

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The all-star center-fielder hit two home runs against his former team — accounting for all of the home side’s offense — stole a base and even got hit by a pitch during a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros.

Unlike Friday night’s series opener, when Houston escaped with an 11-7 win, the hotly contested middle match of this three-game weekend series wasn’t as offensively dominant.

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Still, all three runs came courtesy of the long ball — Springer’s two, the first to lead off the game, and one by Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez that cut the Jays lead in half with his second blast in as many games against the Jays.

The teams combined for five homers Friday night and 27 hits in total.

To hear Springer tell it, he wasn’t looking at any particular pitch when Houston starter Luis Garcia began his afternoon.

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“I was looking for something out over the plate,” said Springer of his 46th-career leadoff long ball, which puts him in a tie with Jimmy Rollins for the sixth most in MLB history. “I was able to hit the ball well (Saturday). I’ll take it.”

Not kidding. Three times this season, Springer has led off by going deep.

He was DHing Saturday as the Jays decided to start lefty-swinging Bradley Zimmer in center.

On the first pitch tossed by Jays starter Jose Berrios, Chas McCormick turned on it and it sent it toward the gap in left center. Zimmer dove for the ball to make the highlight-reel catch.

Zimmer later came up just short on another rocket hit by McCormick, only this time it went off his glove on the dive.

Following the first out, manager Charlie Montoyo joked to Springer that the team might be best served if Springer continues to serve as DH. Either role suits Springer fine.

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“Nothing he does surprises me,” said Montoyo of Springer.

The 14-8 Jays have now gone the entire month of April without losing back-to-back games. They relish close games and have flourished, especially with Jordan Romano in the closing role, the Markham right-hander earning his 10th save.

A year ago, the team went 15-15 in one-run games. With Saturday’s win, they are an MLB-best 8-2.

“We’ve played some close games for sure,” Springer said. “But it’s all good. This is a team that has to go through it and understand what it’s like to do it. I think we’re starting to see that we can. It’s a good start to April and it’s on to May.”

Springer is a sounding board for the team’s young guns. And during Saturday’s win, the strike zone became a topic of conversation.

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It reached a boiling point in Toronto’s bottom half of the fifth inning when Montoyo was tossed by home plate umpire Nic Lentz following a called third strike to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

“I just said: ‘Stay in the game,”’ said Springer of the conversation he had with Vlad Jr. “He’s way too important to us for a later at-bat. We need him hitting.

“I told him to flush it. It’s on to the next one. His spot of him came up and he had another at-bat. That’s the goal, to stay in the game.”

Montoyo didn’t hesitate in coming to Vlad Jr.’s aid when it appeared the first baseman was perilously close to getting the boot after tossing his bat in the dirt in disgust.

The way Montoyo viewed the situation, it was better for him to watch the balance of the game inside the clubhouse rather than have Vladdy get kicked out.

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Berrios tossed 5.2 innings of one-run ball, giving up seven hits and a pair of walks with five strikeouts.

“I have battled,” said Montoyo of Berrios. “When you’re in close games and you make big pitches that’s how you win games.”

Berrios hasn’t given up more than two runs in any of his past three starts

In all five of his starts this season the Jays have emerged with a win.

“I’ve held a good team down,” said Springer of Berrios. “I have allowed you to stay in the ball game. He did a good job and our bullpen did an even better job. It was a good overall day for us.”

Springer went deep in his first game against his former team last week when the Jays were in Houston.
He is healthy and a healthy Springer gives the Blue Jays their best chance of doing special things this season.

With Teoscar Hernandez closer to returning from his oblique injury, the team’s lineup will be deeper and more potent.

RYU UPDATE

There’s cautious optimism Hyun-Jin Ryu will soon be back in the rotation following a stay on the 10-day injured list with forearm inflammation. According to Montoyo, the one-time ace of Toronto’s staff is likely slotted for a rehab start in the minors before he faces big-league hitters. On Saturday, Ryu pitched a three-inning simulated game.

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