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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays walk-off the Yankees in 6-5 victory
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Photo credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Mar 17, 2025, 16:30 EDTUpdated: Mar 17, 2025, 16:49 EDT
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Monday features a split-squad game for the Toronto Blue Jays!
At home in Dunedin, they took on the New York Yankees, defeating the Bronx Bombers 6-5 in walk-off fashion. Overall, their Spring Training record now sits at 14-9-1, the best in the Grapefruit League by half a game. Let’s take a look at what happened in this game.
In the bottom of the first, George Springer grounded into a double play with no outs, and the bases loaded, scoring a run but not picking up an RBI. Andrés Giménez picked up an RBI thanks to his second double of Spring Training.
The Blue Jays followed that up with an additional two runs in the bottom of the second inning, as Bo Bichette hit his third home run of Spring Training, a two-run blast. In the top of the third, the Yankees scored three runs, one from Ben Rice’s single and two others from Trent Grisham’s home run.
After three scoreless innings between the two teams, the Yankees tied the game in the top of the seventh thanks to Rice’s fourth home run of the season. That was followed by a home run from Brenny Escanio to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead. However, Matt Whatley hit a home run for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at five.
Looking to avoid their second tie of Spring Training, Carter Cunningham hit a walk-off home run on a 1-2 count with two outs to send the Blue Jays home with a win in this split-squad game. He noted it was his first walk-off home run ever.

Takeaways…

Carter Cunningham was selected in the 10th round of the 2024 draft by the Blue Jays and hit 17 home runs for East Carolina University, so hitting home runs is nothing new for him. Bo Bichette and Matt Whatley hit the other two home runs for the Blue Jays while Andrés Giménez had the team’s other extra-base hit. Myles Straw, Alan Roden, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each had a single.
Kevin Gausman had the start in this game, striking out three in three innings of work but also giving up three earned runs. Mason Fluharty pitched two-thirds of scoreless baseball, striking out a batter. Jeff Hoffman pitched an inning and a third with three strikeouts, while Yimi García still has a 0 ERA thanks to a scoreless inning pitched.
Tommy Nance was tagged with a blown save, giving up an earned run in his inning of work. Richard Lovelady also gave up an earned run thanks to two walks and two hits. Eric Pardinho picked up the win, striking out two batters in his inning of work.
The Blue Jays return to action on Tuesday at 6:05 PM ET against the Baltimore Orioles. Left-handed starter Eric Lauer is expected to start for the Jays.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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