Bo Bichette went 4-for-6, including the go-ahead RBI single in the 12th inning, as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the host Miami Marlins 7-6 on Saturday afternoon.
Bichette also made a pair of fielding gems at shortstop. In the seventh inning, his relay throw cut down a would-be run at the plate. In the 12th, Bichette’s throw to second on a fielder’s choice caught Otto Lopez — the automatic runner — off the bag, essentially sealing Miami’s fate.
Marlins third baseman Javier Sanoja had an impressive game. In his last three at-bats, he had an RBI double in the seventh; a game-tying RBI single in the ninth; and another game-tying RBI single in the 11th inning.
Toronto led 4-0 into the seventh and 4-3 in the ninth before closer Jeff Hoffman — looking for his 29th save — blew that chance.
George Springer helped lead Toronto’s offense, going 3-for-6 with a solo homer, a double and an RBI single.
Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios, who struck out eight batters and was pitching scoreless baseball until the seventh, left with a no-decision.
Marlins starter Janson Junk, who also got a no-decision, left the game after 5 2/3 innings due to right arm discomfort.
Blue Jays right-hander Tommy Nance (1-0) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of one-run relief, and Brendon Little collected his first save of the season and second of his career. Marlins right-hander Calvin Faucher (3-4), who pitched the 11th and 12th, took the loss.
Toronto first got to Junk in the third inning as Nathan Lukes stroked a leadoff double, advanced on Ernie Clement’s flyout and came home on Springer’s RBI single.
The Jays got back on the board in the sixth on a rally started by Addison Barger’s one-out walk and Bichette’s single. Alejandro Kirk followed by hitting an opposite-field RBI double down the right field line. Then, after reliever Cade Gibson intentionally walked Ty France to load the bases, pinch hitter Myles Straw drew an eight-pitch RBI walk.
Springer homered in the seventh to make it 4-0.
Miami’s seventh-inning rally started with one-out singles by Liam Hicks and Eric Wagaman. Troy Johnston stroked an RBI single. Sanoja then hit his RBI double, and pinch hitter Lopez added another RBI single to cut Miami’s deficit to 4-3 before reliever Louis Varland struck out Xavier Edwards to end the threat.
The Marlins rallied again in the ninth as Wagaman walked and was replaced by pinch runner Derek Hill, who stole second. Hill advanced on a Johnston flyout and scored on a first-pitch single by Sanoja, sending the game to extra innings, 4-4.
Both teams scored a run in the 10th inning. France lofted a sacrifice fly for Toronto, and Jakob Marsee hit an RBI double for Miami.
The teams then traded RBI singles in the 11th — Andres Gimenez for Toronto and Sanoja for Miami — before Bichette’s eventual clincher.
–Field Level Media
