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 caught Otto Lopez – the placed 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.
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 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 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.