They pounded out 21 hits en route to to scoring in every inning but the 4th
The Jays jumped all over Kyle Gibson early, building a 6-0 lead through three innings as they threatened to turn it into a laugher behind a resplendent Ross Stripling. Too often this year the bats have gone quiet after building an early lead, and it’s cost them either directly in the standings or by hanging onto white knuckle leads that ran up the workload of the back of the bullpen.
While they never truly landed a decisive knockout blow against Gibson, the offensive barrage just kept relentless coming and coming and coming. Which proved important when Stripling faltered in the middle innings and it became a close game, and later when Julian Merryweather hit major turbulence to being it within shouting distance late. The only real downside was the pace necessarily suffering as the time approached four hours and about an hour for last nine outs.
Tomorrow, the Jays will look to sweep the two game mini-series in Philly, with Kevin Gasuman once again taking to the mound opposite another team’s ace in Zack Wheeler at 6:45 EDT.