The ball kicked past the catcher and the race was on. Breyvic Valera took off from third and White Sox reliever Craig Kimbrel sprinted as fast as he could to the plate.
It was the bottom of the eighth inning, the score was tied, and Kimbrel had just uncorked a wild pitch that skipped to the Rogers Centre backstop. Kimbrel caught the ball just as Valera slid head-first into the plate.
The dust settled and the umpire made the call. Safe.
"Honestly, I'm just excited it was a safe call and we scored that run... that was huge against one of the best closers in baseball," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said.
After the two players untangled themselves, the call was reviewed and upheld. Closer Jordan Romano worked a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the 2-1 Blue Jays victory.
"It all started with Reese McGuire going all out, diving to first base and being safe," Montoyo said.
The eighth-inning race to the plate was the most exciting moment of the game, but Reese McGuire got everything started when he beat out a groundball to second base with a head-first slide. McGuire was ultimately lifted for the pinch-runner Valera, who scored the game-winning run.
"It was one of those games, again, that we have been playing with no room for error and we did it right," Montoyo said.
Finally, Toronto took advantage of some good starting pitching. Before Monday, Blue Jays starters turned in three straight quality starts, yet the team won just one of those games.
Despite not having his best command for the second start in a row, Blue Jays' starter Alek Manoah gave the team another quality outing. The rookie walked three batters, hit two guys, and allowed a baserunner every inning, but battled through one of baseball's more star-studded lineups for six whole innings.
"You can't throw any cookies to any of those guys. I'd much rather throw a guy on first base than give up a home run or a double," Manoah said. "I was able to battle once they did get on base and continue to give [our] offense a chance."
Manoah wound up allowing only one run through six, surrendering five hits, and striking out five. The performance was even more impressive, given that Manoah had just spent time on the bereavement list to mourn the passing of his grandfather.
"It was pretty big to be there for my mom," Manoah said. "To be there for my family, to kind of just get some closure be able to celebrate his life a little bit.
"So it was amazing to be out there and be able to put on a good performance for him."
The Blue Jays showed some heart before the dramatic eighth inning, too, delivering their first clutch hit in what felt like forever. With Bo Bichette shuffling off second in the sixth inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a sinking liner into center field to plate a run and tie the game.
Guerrero Jr. slid into second when the throw went home, then quickly popped to his feet, pumping his fist several times and pointing to the heavens as he got some weight off his back.
"I felt a little bit frustrated," Guerrero Jr. said of his recent slump. "I mean, it wasn't me for the last couple of weeks."
When Guerrero Jr. got that hit, he said it felt "great" to finally come through for his team.
"I'm gonna continue to keep working hard and just take it day by day and try to help the team win," he said.
If you zoom in, this win over the AL Central leaders is big for the Blue Jays. One step back will tell you this is a small step in a very steep hill to climb for the Blue Jays to reach the postseason. Still, the White Sox trotted out one of the game's best relievers in the biggest of spots, and the Blue Jays found a way to beat him.
If the club does reach October baseball, Toronto can look back on this game to remember what it takes to win.
"It feels like [a playoff game] every day, because every day we've been playing close games," Montoyo said. "But in that situation, I think it was more because we're facing one of the best closers in baseball who's pitching in the eighth inning.
"For that to happen how it happened, it was great. It was a great win for us."
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August 24, 2021 at 10:01AM
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Blue Jays Grind for Win in Exciting 8th Inning - Sports Illustrated
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