BALTIMORE – The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 22-7 on Sunday, completing a three-game series that marked them 44 runs.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez hit a big hit, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. threw his 44th homer, tying him with Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani to lead the major league. He also became the first player in MLB history to have 7 RBI, 5 runs and 3 walks in a game since RBI became a statesman in 1920.
More than half of the series ’damage occurred in just four innings: 11 runs in the seventh inning of Saturday night’s cover and 16 in the first three innings of Sunday’s game. The 27 runs in a four-inning period are the most important in MLB history, surpassing the previous record of 25.
“The last three days I’ve been at the game for 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Charlie Montoyo, manager of the Blue Jays. “I didn’t know we were going to score so many races, but in late August I said we would get hot because we have too many beaters. Now, we’re swinging the bats really well. It’s contagious.”
Gurriel set the franchise record with his fourth grand slam of the season and also achieved a two-run homer in fifth place in seven races. Danny Jansen had four hits, including three doubles, and four RBIs. Toronto added 19 visits in total on Sunday.
The Blue Jays ‘club career record was set at a 24-10 victory over the Orioles on June 26, 1978, a game in which John Mayberry hit the Jays’ only two home runs and had seven RBI after get off the bench.
Toronto improved to 80-63 after starting the day tied with the Yankees to get the second AL wildcard behind Boston.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.