Blue Jays' bottom of the order comes up big in comeback win over Giants
Article content
The team's big boys tend to reside in the top of the order, but this season, if anything, has shown that even the alleged unknowns are more than capable of producing.
Article content
Article content
Witness Saturday's 6-3 comeback win over the San Francisco Giants at a sold-out Rogers Centre crowd of 42,015.
Article content
All six of Toronto's runs came from the bottom of the order as the triumvirate sparked the team to its longest home winning streak in 10 years.
Article content
Tyler Heineman drove in the winning run with an RBI double in the sixth inning before he unloaded on a two-run homer in the eighth to give the Jays their ninth home win in succession.
Article content
The trio of Ernie Clement, Will Wagner and Heineman went 5-for-10 at the plate.
Article content
Logan Webb is a tough pitcher and yet it was Toronto's bottom of the order that did the damage.
Article content
'They just stuck to their approach,' said manager John Schneider following the win as the Jays improved to 57-41.
Article content
Clement has hit as high as leadoff. He has that rare bat control that allows him to lay down bunts, hit behind runners or be used in hit-and-run scenarios.
Article content
Wagner came on the scene last season following the trade deadline deal with Houston that also netted Joey Loperfido.
Article content
Article content
Heineman has come out the blue, but he is more than a serviceable backup catcher.
Article content
Saturday's belt was Heineman's third of the season, while his first-career multiple extra-base hit game would also be produced in the win.
Article content
Article content
As well as the bottom of the order performed, it was hard to overlook Addison Barger's career-high four-hit performance.
Article content
Article content
'A guy with really, really great talent,'' added the skipper on Barger. 'He can hit the ball hard, he can hit the ball out of the ballpark, and you pair that with a very good approach.
Article content
'He's got a bright future. He can be as good as anyone … It's tools, it's approach, it's confidence. He's in a good spot.'
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
42 minutes ago
- CTV News
A look at results from the 2025 Ironman Canada-Ottawa event and how to register for 2026
Sunday's Ironman Canada-Ottawa triathlon brought thousands of people to the nation's capital, including more than 2,000 competitors. 'Congratulations to all of our amazing athletes and a very special thank you to all our volunteers,' Ironman organizers said Monday. Full results for all athletes can be found on the Ironman website. Expand Autoplay 1 of 11 Ironman Ottawa Ironman Canada-Ottawa participants race on bicycles. Aug. 3, 2025. (Katelyn Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) Ironman Ottawa Ironman Canada-Ottawa participants at Britannia Beach in Ottawa. Aug. 3, 2025. (Katelyn Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) Ironman Ottawa Ironman Canada-Ottawa participants at Britannia Beach in Ottawa. Aug. 3, 2025. (Katelyn Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) Graeme Barber Graeme Barber , 82, is participating in the Ironman Canada-Ottawa event. This is his 10th Ironman, his family says. Aug. 3, 2025. (Katelyn Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) Ironman Ottawa Participants in the Ironman triathlon in Ottawa bike down Mackenzie Avenue as spectators cheer them on. Aug. 3, 2025. (Ted Raymond/CTV News Ottawa) Ironman Ottawa Ironman Canada-Ottawa participants bike down Wellington Street near Parliament. Aug. 3, 2025. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa) Ironman Ottawa A runner is pictured near the Ironman Village at Confederation Park in Ottawa. Aug. 3, 2025. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa) Ironman Ottawa Ironman Canada-Ottawa participants ride by supporters on Colonel By Drive. Aug. 3, 2025. (Josh Pring Ottawa Ironman A cyclist in the Ironman Canada-Ottawa event rides past Parliament. Aug. 3, 2025. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa) Ottawa Ironman Cyclists in the Ironman Canada-Ottawa event ride past Parliament. Aug. 3, 2025. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa) Luke Evans Ottawa Ironman Luke Evans crosses the finish line at the Ironman Canada-Ottawa event. Aug. 3, 2025. (Katelyn Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) Many people taking on the challenge spoke with CTV News Ottawa in advance of the race. Here's how they performed. A group of childhood best friends from Ottawa decided to take on the Ironman challenge with a mission to raise money for cancer research. Tyler Booth's mom Carole Rocheleau died of lung and liver cancer earlier this year. He and his friends ran the Ironman to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society in her honour, bringing in more than $22,000. Here are the times for Booth and his five friends. Tyler Booth – 11:37:43 Olan Bradford – 11:32:36 Kieran Graham – 11:39:33 Matthew O'Neill – 11:09:40 Jacob Price – 12:53:25 Samuel Smith – 13:11:10 A group of family and friends took part in the Ironman on Sunday in memory of Sindy Hooper, an Ottawa woman who raised more than $500,000 for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital. Hooper's husband, Jonathan Hooper, their son Chris Dobson, and friends Mary Bellefeuille and Alexandra McCabe (registered as Alexandra da Costa) spoke to CTV News Ottawa about Sindy's legacy. Here's how they performed. Jonathan Hooper – 13:05:01 Chris Dobson – 14:37:22 Mary Bellefeuille – 16:22:43 Alexandra da Costa – 14:40:09 Angela Hubber travelled from Burlington to compete in her third Ironman. She finished with a time of 15:24:33. Jay Wilgar and Carolyn Park also travelled to Ottawa to take part in the event. Wilgar finished with a time of 12:08:59 while Park finished with a time of 12:08:48. On race day, CTV News Ottawa spoke to the family of Graeme Barber who, at 82, was the oldest participant taking part in Sunday's event. This was Barber's 10th Ironman race, according to his daughter. Unfortunately, Barber did not finish but completed the swim portion in 1:55:12 and the bike portion in 8:32:19. The Ironman Tracker app says he ran 17.9 kilometres in the marathon portion. Ottawa City Councillor Theresa Kavanagh competed Sunday, finishing with a time of 15:52:24. Top finishers The top man and woman to run Sunday's Ironman were Luke Evans, a Carleton University graduate, who finished first overall with a time of 8:40:22, and Aliisa Heiskanen, of Gatineau, who finished first among women with a time of 9:32:41. Registration open for 2026 Ironman Canada-Ottawa Athletes can now register for next year's Ottawa Ironman. The even is scheduled to take place Aug. 2, 2026. Priority registration is open until Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. 'Don't forget…2025 sold out in just three months last year,' said organizers. Details can be found here.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
When will local OHL teams hit the ice again?
The Kitchener Rangers team bus is seen parked outside the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on September 2, 2024. (Shelby Knox/CTV News) Summer is in full swing, but local hockey fans are already eagerly looking forward to the start of a new Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season. The 2025/2026 regular season officially gets underway in mid-September, but there will be lots of local action to tide fans over until then. Preseason showcase and Kitchener Rangers' FanFest The Kitchener Rangers are getting ready to host the Brantford Bulldogs, Oshawa Generals and Saginaw Spirit for their second annual preseason showcase at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The showcase gets underway on Friday, Aug. 29 and will continue through the weekend, wrapping up on Sunday, Aug. 31. The Kitchener Rangers said tickets for each game will be available at the door and support Make-A-Wish Canada. The Kitchener Rangers' FanFest will also return alongside the showcase. It will be held on Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in parking lot A at the Aud. Admission is free. Fans can play games, enjoy carnival rides, grab something to eat at a barbeque and meet some of the Kitchener Rangers players. Proceeds from FanFest will also support Make-A-Wish Canada. Kitchener Rangers FanFest 2024 Kitchener Rangers fans gather at FanFest outside the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on September 1, 2024. (Shelby Knox/CTV News) Preseason schedule All told, the OHL preseason schedule includes 50 games between Friday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Sept. 14. The schedule includes the showcase games at The Aud. 'There are an additional 18 neutral site games taking place in non-OHL venues, including four with locations still to be announced in the coming weeks,' the league said in a news release. Here are the dates for the Brantford Bulldogs, Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers preseason games: Friday, Aug. 29 Guelph Storm @ Brampton Steelheads - 7 p.m. Brantford Bulldogs @ Kitchener Rangers - 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30 Saginaw Spirit v. Brantford Bulldogs (at The Aud in Kitchener) - 2 p.m. Oshawa Generals @ Kitchener Rangers - 7 p.m. Brampton Steelheads @ Guelph Storm - 7:07 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31 Saginaw Spirit @ Kitchener Rangers - 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1 Brantford Bulldogs v. Guelph Storm (at the North Dumfries Community Complex in Ayr) – 2:07 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4 Brantford Bulldogs @ Niagara Icedogs – 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 Niagara Icedogs @ Brantford Bulldogs – 7 p.m. Oshawa Generals @ Guelph Storm – 7:07 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7 Guelph Storm @ Oshawa Generals – 4:05 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 Guelph Storm @ Brantford Bulldogs 7 p.m. Oshawa Generals @ Kitchener Rangers – 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 Kitchener Rangers v. Windsor Spitfires (at the Atlas Tube Centre in Lakeshore) – 7:05 p.m. The Flint Firebirds will also face off with the Erie Otters on Friday, Sept. 12 at the William Allman Memorial Arena in Stratford.
National Post
3 hours ago
- National Post
ESPN pundit rips Raptors, plus what's next for Toronto this summer
The dog days of summer are upon us, but basketball never stops and the Toronto Raptors remain busy. Article content The team's Summer League stint in Las Vegas went well, with plenty of youngsters impressing in a strong run and the veterans, including Scottie Barnes — who recently turned 24 — also getting work in. Article content Article content Last year, the team felt it got huge benefits from a mini-camp held in Spain, improving chemistry significantly, which helped during the tough stretches of a long, losing season — so they're doing it again. Article content This time, Toronto's camp will be held in Madrid at the facilities of Real Madrid. Toronto and Real Madrid have met in pre-season matchups over the years and enjoy a strong relationship. Article content Chus Mateo, who was Real Madrid's head coach until being dismissed last month, even joined Darko Rajakovic's coaching staff at Summer League last summer. Centre Bruno Fernando signed with the club after being cut by the Raptors last season, joining former Raptor Serge Ibaka, who also was on the roster. Article content The Raptors will mostly go their separate ways following the camp, before reuniting toward the end of September ahead of media day in Toronto and training camp in Calgary. The well-travelled organization also will visit British Columbia, California and the U.S. East Coast during the pre-season before Season 31 tips off. Article content RAPTORS OVERPAY? Article content According to ESPN insider Bobby Marks, a long-time front office member of the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, the Raptors helped contribute to the chilly restricted free agency market. Article content Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga, Chicago guard Josh Giddey, Nets wing Cam Thomas and Philadelphia guard Quentin Grimes have yet to come to terms with their existing clubs or new ones via offer sheets. Article content Marks posits that Toronto giving Quickley five years and close to $160 million (it was reported as up to $175 million) a year ago has 'totally screwed up restricted free agency,' Marks said on YouTube. Article content 'That's where (the other restricted free agents and their agents) are looking at as the benchmark. Article content 'That contract screwed up a lot of things, and that's why you can't use comps … I don't think Toronto got enough heat for that number because Immanuel Quickley is not a $32-33-million (a year) guy,' Marks said. Article content Article content Article content Marks said players and their camps now want a deal like that, but teams aren't giving them out, leading to standoffs. Article content Article content Toronto had seen Quickley as the centrepiece of its OG Anunoby deal with the New York Knicks (even though RJ Barrett had more of a pedigree and has actually improved more in Toronto, leading the team in scoring since arriving). The former sixth man of the year award runner-up brings a skillset no other Raptor possesses (elite pull-up three-point capabilities) and one that complements Barnes tremendously in theory (Quickley only played in 33 games this season and rarely was in at the same time as Barnes in his 38 2023-24 Raptors contests). Article content Toronto bet heavily on upside and fit with Quickley's deal and will need to rely on his staying on the court and the salary cap continuing to rise significantly for people to change their minds about the deal. Article content Apropos of nothing, this corner would easily pick a healthy Quickley in Toronto over Kuminga, Giddey or Grimes.
