<p>That’s not how the Toronto Blue Jays drew it up, but a win is a win!</p>
<p></p>
<p>On Thursday afternoon, the Blue Jays defeated the San Diego Padres 7-6 in 11 innings, sweeping their third series of the season to bring their season record to 25-24. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one!</p>
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<p>In the top of the second, the Padres opened the scoring thanks to Gavin Sheets’ seventh home run of the season. This was the league-leading 15th home run Bowden Francis has given up this season.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Opportunity knocking. <a href="https://t.co/tp7Wb7LYgi">pic.twitter.com/tp7Wb7LYgi</a></p>
<p>&mdash; San Diego Padres (@Padres) <a href="https://twitter.com/Padres/status/1925603271198351388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Jays got going in the bottom of the third, as Daulton Varsho reached thanks to a fielder’s choice error, scoring Tyler Heineman. Following Varsho was Addison Barger, who drove in Bo Bichette for the 2-2 tie.</p>
<p>In the bottom of the fourth, the Jays added two more runs, thanks to a Bichette RBI single and a Varsho sacrifice fly. The score stood at 4-2 until the top of the ninth, as Jeff Hoffman gave up a lead-off walk and then a home run to Sheets to tie the game at four.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Have a day 👏 <a href="https://t.co/jgc9i0yctW">pic.twitter.com/jgc9i0yctW</a></p>
<p>&mdash; San Diego Padres (@Padres) <a href="https://twitter.com/Padres/status/1925638821015662906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Jays failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, and the Padres eventually cashed in the ghost runner in the top of the tenth. On the first pitch in the bottom of the tenth, Jonatan Clase hit a grounder up the middle, scoring Nathan Lukes. The Jays failed to score another run that inning</p>
<p>Sheets hit an RBI single in the top of the 11th, his fifth RBI of the game, but the Jays once again had an answer. Varsho hit a key triple, driving in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to even up the game. Barger was intentionally walked, and Ernie Clement hit a fly out that wasn’t deep enough to drive in Varsho, bringing up Lukes. The outfielder won the game with an RBI single.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Live Laugh Lukes 😌 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WALKOFF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WALKOFF</a> <a href="https://t.co/frVi3WKOdJ">pic.twitter.com/frVi3WKOdJ</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1925653862842535941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h2>Takeaways…</h2>
<p>There’s a lot to mention in the takeaways bit, but let’s start with the Blue Jays’ record. For the first time since they were 12-11 on April 21, the Blue Jays have a record above .500. Since then, they’ve had five different opportunities to jump above it, losing all five of those games. Let’s hope they stay above the .500 mark for the rest of the season.</p>
<p>Addison Barger, without question, is the Blue Jays’ everyday third baseman. On Thursday, he went 3-4 with two walks in this one to bring his wRC+ to 118. When Andres Gimenez returns, Ernie Clement can move to a bench role, where he can move around the infield.</p>
<p>If Anthony Santander continues to mainly play in the designated hitter role, Nathan Lukes has done enough to earn a regular starting spot. This season, the 30-year-old outfielder is slashing .265/.374/.434 with four home runs in 102 plate appearances for a 135 wRC+.</p>
<p>The bottom of the lineup had a good day for the Jays, as Heinemen went 2-4 to bring his batting average up to .369, while Jonatan Clase went 2-3 with two walks. Good stuff from the bench bats.</p>
<p>One area of concern for the Jays was that they used a whole lot of pitchers. Bowden Francis only went four innings, giving up two earned runs, three walks, and striking out four. This was an 11 inning game, meaning the Jays used seven different relievers.</p>
<p>Yariel Rodriguez continues to excel, pitching an inning and a third with three strikeouts. This included a strikeout of Luis Arraez, who hadn’t struck out in 57 straight plate appearances according to Francys Romero.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yariel Rodríguez ended Luis Arraez’s streak of 57 consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout -tied for the longest in MLB this season- with a 97.8 MPH fastball. <a href="https://t.co/vog0qIL3hY">pic.twitter.com/vog0qIL3hY</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) <a href="https://twitter.com/francysromeroFR/status/1925648904726495247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Mason Fluharty struck out a batter in his inning of work, dropping his ERA to 2.25. Chad Green pitched two-thirds of scoreless baseball, while Yimi Garcia pitched a scoreless inning with a hit allowed. Brendon Little gave up two unearned runs with a strikeout, and Braydon Fisher picked up his first big league win by getting an out.</p>
<p>Jeff Hoffman continues to pitch worryingly. He started off the top of the ninth with a walk, allowing Gavin Sheets to step up and hit a game-tying home run. It seems like he’s in a holding pattern of one good outing, one bad outing.</p>
<p>The Jays return to action on Friday, heading to Tampa to take on the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. That game starts at 7:05 PM ET.</p>
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<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. They can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.</span></i></p>
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That’s not how the Toronto Blue Jays drew it up, but a win is a win!



On Thursday afternoon, the Blue Jays defeated the San Diego Padres 7-6 in 11 innings, sweeping their third series of the season to bring their season record to 25-24. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one!
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
&nbsp;

In the top of the second, the Padres opened the scoring thanks to Gavin Sheets’ seventh home run of the season. This was the league-leading 15th home run Bowden Francis has given up this season.

https://twitter.com/Padres/status/1925603271198351388

The Jays got going in the bottom of the third, as Daulton Varsho reached thanks to a fielder’s choice error, scoring Tyler Heineman. Following Varsho was Addison Barger, who drove in Bo Bichette for the 2-2 tie.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Jays added two more runs, thanks to a Bichette RBI single and a Varsho sacrifice fly. The score stood at 4-2 until the top of the ninth, as Jeff Hoffman gave up a lead-off walk and then a home run to Sheets to tie the game at four.

https://twitter.com/Padres/status/1925638821015662906

The Jays failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, and the Padres eventually cashed in the ghost runner in the top of the tenth. On the first pitch in the bottom of the tenth, Jonatan Clase hit a grounder up the middle, scoring Nathan Lukes. The Jays failed to score another run that inning

Sheets hit an RBI single in the top of the 11th, his fifth RBI of the game, but the Jays once again had an answer. Varsho hit a key triple, driving in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to even up the game. Barger was intentionally walked, and Ernie Clement hit a fly out that wasn’t deep enough to drive in Varsho, bringing up Lukes. The outfielder won the game with an RBI single.

https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1925653862842535941
<h2>Takeaways…</h2>
There’s a lot to mention in the takeaways bit, but let’s start with the Blue Jays’ record. For the first time since they were 12-11 on April 21, the Blue Jays have a record above .500. Since then, they’ve had five different opportunities to jump above it, losing all five of those games. Let’s hope they stay above the .500 mark for the rest of the season.

Addison Barger, without question, is the Blue Jays’ everyday third baseman. On Thursday, he went 3-4 with two walks in this one to bring his wRC+ to 118. When Andres Gimenez returns, Ernie Clement can move to a bench role, where he can move around the infield.

If Anthony Santander continues to mainly play in the designated hitter role, Nathan Lukes has done enough to earn a regular starting spot. This season, the 30-year-old outfielder is slashing .265/.374/.434 with four home runs in 102 plate appearances for a 135 wRC+.

The bottom of the lineup had a good day for the Jays, as Heinemen went 2-4 to bring his batting average up to .369, while Jonatan Clase went 2-3 with two walks. Good stuff from the bench bats.

One area of concern for the Jays was that they used a whole lot of pitchers. Bowden Francis only went four innings, giving up two earned runs, three walks, and striking out four. This was an 11 inning game, meaning the Jays used seven different relievers.

Yariel Rodriguez continues to excel, pitching an inning and a third with three strikeouts. This included a strikeout of Luis Arraez, who hadn’t struck out in 57 straight plate appearances according to Francys Romero.

https://twitter.com/francysromeroFR/status/1925648904726495247

Mason Fluharty struck out a batter in his inning of work, dropping his ERA to 2.25. Chad Green pitched two-thirds of scoreless baseball, while Yimi Garcia pitched a scoreless inning with a hit allowed. Brendon Little gave up two unearned runs with a strikeout, and Braydon Fisher picked up his first big league win by getting an out.

Jeff Hoffman continues to pitch worryingly. He started off the top of the ninth with a walk, allowing Gavin Sheets to step up and hit a game-tying home run. It seems like he’s in a holding pattern of one good outing, one bad outing.

The Jays return to action on Friday, heading to Tampa to take on the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. That game starts at 7:05 PM ET.

<hr />

<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. They can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.</span></i>

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