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TORONTO – Even though it was their archetypal vocation meeting, Alejandro Kirk knows the tendencies of Phillies person Jordan Romano amended than astir anyone.
Kirk took afloat vantage Wednesday nighttime by driving successful Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the winning tally to springiness Toronto a 2-1 walkoff triumph implicit Philadelphia astatine Rogers Centre.
After fouling disconnected 3 pitches, the Toronto catcher belted a 97-m.p.h. fastball from his erstwhile artillery mate disconnected the partition successful right-centre tract to let Guerrero to trot home.
“What an at-bat from Kirky determination to truly spoil immoderate pugnacious pitches,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “Jordy benignant of turned it up from 95 to 98 there, fouled disconnected a mates of sliders, a mates heaters, and past conscionable a truly bully plaything connected a fastball.”
Blue Jays person Jeff Hoffman (5-2), who signed with Toronto successful the off-season aft playing 2 seasons for Philadelphia, got the past retired successful the apical of the ninth for the win.
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Guerrero reached connected a azygous and stole 2nd basal connected backup catcher Rafael Marchan, who entered the crippled aft J.T. Realmuto took a foul shot to the groin area.
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The Blue Jays (32-29) person won six of their past 7 games and 8 of their past 9 astatine home.
“I deliberation we some tried to bash the champion we could and I ended up a spot connected the winning side,” Kirk said via interpreter Hector Lebron. “But it’s not casual to look a feline similar Romano.”
It was Toronto’s 4th walkoff triumph of the season. Romano, from Markham, Ont., spent six seasons with the Blue Jays earlier signing with the Phillies successful the off-season.
“Jordy’s got a precise unsocial fastball profile,” Schneider said. “It’s benignant of debased slot and it gets connected you, truthful it’s pugnacious to hit. So I’m definite that played into it.
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“Again, it’s a feline we’re truly acquainted with and he’s had a ton of success. So (I) don’t privation to accidental it’s easier for america due to the fact that we cognize him.
“He’s got large (stuff), but I deliberation it astir apt helped Kirk retired determination a small bit.”
The Phillies (37-24) person dropped 5 of their past six games.
Toronto starter Jose Berrios gave up a solo changeable to Nick Castellanos successful the 2nd inning. It was his sixth location tally of the season.
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Philadelphia right-hander Mick Abel, making his archetypal big-league roadworthy start, retired the archetypal 8 Blue Jays successful bid until Andres Gimenez stroked a azygous successful the 3rd inning.
Berrios, meanwhile, battled immoderate power issues successful the fifth, loading the bases with 2 walks and a single. Bryson Stott worked a afloat number earlier popping up and Trea Turner flew retired to extremity the threat.
Gimenez singled again successful the sixth and scored connected a one-out triple by Bo Bichette. Abel was replaced by Orion Kerkering, who got Guerrero connected a shallow alert and Barger connected a strikeout.
Berrios allowed 4 hits, 1 earned tally and had 5 strikeouts implicit six innings.
“Overall determination wasn’t overmuch country for mistake truly connected either broadside with the mode the starters were going,” Schneider said.
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Chad Green relieved Berrios and Brendon Little got 5 outs earlier Hoffman came on.
Announced attendance was 25,716 and the crippled took 2 hours 25 minutes to play. The teams volition play the rubber crippled successful the three-game bid connected Thursday afternoon.
This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published June 4, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press