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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays salvage series with 5-4 victory over Dodgers
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Photo credit: © Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Aug 10, 2025, 19:45 EDTUpdated: Aug 11, 2025, 16:09 EDT
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Two words: Mason Fluharty.
On Sunday afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays were looking to avoid the sweep to the Los Angeles Dodgers, doing just that with a 5-4 victory to salvage a win. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one.
In the top of the first, the Blue Jays took the lead thanks to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s double that scored Bo Bichette. That lead didn’t last long, as Shohei Ohtani hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first. In the same inning, Freddie Freeman hit his 14th home run of the season to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Eric Lauer walked in a run to make it 3-1 for the Dodgers, but he got out of what could’ve been a big inning. The Blue Jays got back on the board in the top of the sixth, as Ty France hit a bloop RBI single to score Bichette.
Down to just five outs, the game-tying run was scored thanks to Guerrero Jr.’s 19th home run of the season. They needed this in the biggest way possible.
Two pitches later, the Blue Jays took the lead as Addison Barger hit his 18th home run of the season for a 4-3 lead. Unfortunately, the Dodgers tied it thanks to a Freddie Freeman walk with the bases loaded.
It took just one pitch for the Blue Jays to restore their lead in the top of the ninth, as Ernie Clement hit his eighth home run of the season for the 5-4 lead, his second in as many games. That’s how the game stood as the Blue Jays snapped their two-game losing streak.

Takeaways…

Mason Fluharty had the pitching performance of the season for the Blue Jays. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, he came in for closer Jeff Hoffman, facing Shohei Ohtani. After going up 1-2 in the count, Ohtani battled back to make it 3-2, meaning a ball would have tied the game. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Fluharty threw a nasty 83 mph sweeper to get Ohtani to swing and miss. Mookie Betts promptly grounded out to end the game.
It was a great performance for Fluharty’s first career save, but Hoffman had a rough outing, walking five batters in just two-thirds of an inning. This is historic, as Hoffman is the first pitcher since at least 1901 (when this started to be tracked) to walk five in under an inning and pick up a win.
Yariel Rodríguez didn’t have a great game either, walking two and giving up an earned run. It was a nice bounce-back inning for Brendon Little, going an inning and a third of scoreless baseball. Seranthony Domínguez also bounced back, walking and striking out a batter in two-thirds of an inning.
Louie Varland looks like the real deal, striking out two and allowing two hits in an inning and two-thirds. Braydon Fisher got him out of the fifth inning, striking out one of the two batters he faced.
The bats also picked up toward the end of the game. Guerrero Jr. had two extra-base hits, a double in the first inning and a game-tying home run in the eighth. Addison Barger followed that up with a home run, and Ernie Clement hit the eventual game-winning home run. Joey Loperfido had the other extra-base hit for the Jays.
On top of the win, there is some more good news, as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox lost their games on Sunday. Despite their recent non-rockies struggles (2-8 in their last 10 non-Rockie games), the Jays still have the best record in the American League, and have a four-game division lead over the Red Sox.
After using seven relievers on Sunday, the Blue Jays get a much-needed off-day on Monday before returning home to host the Chicago Cubs for a three-game series. 
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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