Espinal scored a double RBI in the sixth inning to lead the winning streak as Toronto held the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Saturday. Espinal also had a double “green light” in the Blue Jays’ 10-8 victory over Texas in Friday’s first home game. “This is to work hard every day, making sure I stay ready for any situation like today,” said Espinal, who replaced second key player Cavan Biggio in both games. “The hard work just pays off and I will continue to work hard for whatever opportunity I have on this team to get a W.” Espinal hit 0.311 last season with two home games, 13 doubles, a triple and 17 straight in 92 games. He grew about 20 pounds off-season and said he made a difference. “It really is. It really is,” Espinal said. “I put on weight, I put on muscle, we put on a lot of muscle. It’s just very different from last year.” Bo Bichette went 2-4, including a home draw for the Blue Jays (2-0) in front of 43,386 fans at the Rogers Center. He scored twice. The all-star shortstop is impressed with the way Espinal was ready to launch when asked. “Whatever it has to produce, you know, so this is a special quality and it stays locked at all times,” Bichette said. Kevin Gaussmann left eight hits in his regular season debut for Toronto, but limited Texas to three series and scored five in five seasons. He agreed a five-year, $ 110 million contract with Toronto on November 30 after a 14-6 season with the San Francisco Giants. The right-hand pitch averaged 2.81 wins in 192 appearances in one of the top 33 league games ever. He also broke 227. “You know, it was weird. I felt like I had never played before, when I’ve played so much here,” said Gausman, who played his first five full regular seasons with Baltimore’s Blue East’s opponent in AL East. “It was fun, though. I mean, this atmosphere was electric. After the warm-up, I got on fire, I was ready to leave.” Relievers Trevor Richards, Yimi Garcia, Tim Mayza and Jordan Romano from Markham, OD, closed the door the rest of the way after Gausman. Richards was the record player when Espinal reached their winning double and Romano won his second save of the season. Corey Seager and Nathaniel Lowe had two hits and an RBI for Texas (0-2). Dane Dunning scored four, but allowed five hits and three innings over five innings in a non-decision. Brett Martin lost to the Rangers, with Spencer Patton and Matt Bush also coming out of the bullpen. The Toronto attack backed Gausman at the bottom of the box with George Springer, Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hitting three consecutive singles. Springer scored with Guerrero’s shot and Bisset passed his goal, after Lourdes Geriel Jr., hit the home side’s selection for a 2-0 lead early. Semien doubled Jonah Heim in the third, as Gausman left three straight shots to start the inning. Seager then dropped to third, allowing Brad Miller to score before Lowe’s single drove the Semien to a 3-2 lead in Texas. Gausman then settled in, withdrawing six batters in the fourth and fifth inning before being replaced by Richards on the embankment. Bichette tied it again in the fifth, hitting a 425 foot kick in the deep left field. Espinal restored Toronto to a sixth-place lead with a double for Raimel Tapia to score from the ground up. Romano caused a foul outside Andy Ibáñez to start the ninth. Bichette then backed him up with a highlight from a line by Willie Calhoun for the second inning exit. Heim then flew to the deep center to finish the game. Romano’s 25th consecutive rebound between this season and the last one equaled the Blue Jays record. “I do not take for granted what he has done,” Montoyo said of Romano’s consistency as Toronto is closer. “I mean, in the American Eastern League he closes games with good squads. He was great.” This Canadian Press report was first published on April 9, 2022.
