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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays walk off Angels to win 10 of their last 12 series
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jul 5, 2025, 18:45 EDTUpdated: Jul 5, 2025, 20:08 EDT
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The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays are special.
On Saturday afternoon, the Jays defeated the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 in extra innings, the second consecutive game they’ve won 4-3 in extras. Let’s take a look at what happened in this game!
Max Scherzer ran into some issues in the top of the first, loading the bases. He eventually walked in a run to give the Angels a 1-0 lead and nearly allowed another one, but Addison Barger threw out the runner.
The Blue Jays immediately got the run back in the bottom of the first, as Nathan Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both had a hit, followed by a Barger RBI single with two outs to tie it at one.
In the top of the third, Scherzer ran into some more issues, loading the bases for Jo Adell. Thankfully, he didn’t hit a home run this time, just a sacrifice fly to give the Angels a 2-1 lead.
Once again, the Blue Jays scored in their bottom half of the inning, as the red-hot George Springer hit another home run, a two-run blast to give the Jays a 3-2 lead. It was his fifth home run in July.
Eventually, the Angels were able to score the game-tying run thanks to a single, a sacrifice bunt, a swinging bunt, and another single. The game was tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the 11th when Lukes put down a perfect bunt, Guerrero Jr. was walked, and Barger hit the walk-off single for the 4-3 win.

Takeaways…

It’s been two seasons since I’ve done a “Blue Jays Nation’s player of the game”, but Lázaro Estrada’s debut certainly fits the bill. The Cuban righty entered the game in a one-run game, finished with a game-high 10 whiffs, struck out four (including Mike Trout) and gave up a lone earned run in the top of the seventh. What a debut.
Braydon Fisher gave up his first earned runs pitching in relief in the Yankees series, but he got back on track in extra-innings, pitching two innings with two walks and a strikeout. He’s now up to 25 innings in relief with two earned runs.
Sticking with pitching, Max Scherzer made the start, going four innings with two earned runs allowed, three walks, and four strikeouts. The second inning was a good one, striking out the side on 10 pitches, but it wasn’t a great start for the 40-year-old.
Nick Sandlin was the other reliever the Jays used, and he pitched a clean inning to bring his season ERA to 2.30. Much better outing than Friday, and you can expect him, Fisher, and Estrada to be down for the series finale.
The Blue Jays finished with 13 hits but were just 3-17 with runners in scoring position. Two of those hits with runners in scoring position came in the bottom of the 11th, Nathan Lukes’ bunt single and Addison Barger’s walk-off hit. Both players had a two-hit performance. Barger, in particular, had a great game, driving in two runs and throwing out a runner to keep it a 1-0 game before the Jays even swung the bats. He’s been one of their best players this season.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a good game, going 3-5 with a strikeout, while George Springer went 2-6. Springer’s home run in the bottom of the third was his 16th of the season and his fifth in as many games in July. Send him to the All-Star Game!
This was the Blue Jays’ seventh consecutive win, building on their season-high win streak. With the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees losing, the Jays now have a three-game series lead in the American League. Everything is going right, and that’s with numerous injuries.
This is the Blue Jays’ 10th series victory in the last 12. They’ll have a chance to sweep their second consecutive series on Sunday, as Kevin Gausman is the expected starter. Game time is 1:37 PM ET.
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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