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Instant Reaction: Jesús Sánchez drives in three runs as Blue Jays take series finale against Guardians
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Photo credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Apr 26, 2026, 16:30 EDTUpdated: Apr 26, 2026, 17:07 EDT
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For the first time this season, the Toronto Blue Jays have won two consecutive series.
On Sunday afternoon, the Jays played the rubber match against the Cleveland Guardians, defeating the American Central League team by a score of 4-2. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.
Patrick Corbin threw a scoreless top of the first, allowing a lead-off single, but got a ground out and a strike out before Brandon Valenzuela threw out the runner to end the inning. The Blue Jays got to work in the bottom of the first, as Ernie Clement hit his 13th double of the season to lead off the inning. After walking Daulton Varsho, Slade Cecconi gave up an RBI single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., putting runners on the corners. Jesús Sánchez hit a sacrifice fly to give the Jays a 2-0 lead after one.
Cecconi got into a groove after that, allowing just two singles over his next three innings, including one to Yohendrick Piñango, who made his big league debut in this game. Corbin got into and out of a few jams over his next three innings.
Unfortunately, he was unable to get out of his jam in the top of the fifth. The first three Guardian hitters reached with single, with Brayan Rocchio driving in the Guardians’ first run with the third single. Steven Kwan grounded into a double play to leave just one runner on, but Ángel Martínez hit an RBI double.
That was the end of Corbin’s afternoon, with Braydon Fisher coming to relieve him. The Blue Jays had an open base and wanted nothing to do with José Ramírez, so they intentionally walked him. Fisher unintentionally walked Rhys Hoskins to load the bases, but struck out David Fry to end the inning.
Guerrero Jr. led off the bottom of the sixth with his sixth double of the season. Sánchez followed him, getting into an 0-2 hole, before working the count full. On the sixth pitch of the at bat, Sánchez smacked a curveball 355 feet for a two-run blast, giving the Jays a 4-2 lead.
The Blue Jays didn’t get another base runner in the game, but the bullpen did its job. Tyler Rogers struck out a batter in a clean inning. Jeff Hoffman walked a batter in the eighth, but got out of it unscathed. Louis Varland closed it out with two strikeouts for his third career save.

Takeaways…

Don’t look now, but the Blue Jays are starting to get going. In the last week, dating back to the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, they are 5-2. Hitting has improved drastically, while pitching has mostly done enough. The only thing that has stopped them from going 7-0 is an exhausted bullpen in the series finale against the Los Angeles Angels, and Max Scherzer’s tough start on Friday.
The Blue Jays had two opportunities to hit with a runner in scoring position. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s RBI single in the top of the first was one of them, Jesús Sánchez’s home run was the hit. In fact, that was the first home run the Blue Jays have hit with a runner on a second or third. I didn’t believe it either.
Of their last seven games, Sunday was arguably their worst offensive performance, mustering just six hits against a pitcher that came into this game with a 6.20 ERA. They still looked solid and found a way to win.
What a pickup Sánchez has been. With the home run, the outfielder is slashing .266/.315/.456 with four home runs and two doubles in 89 plate appearances. He’s also driven in 15 RBIs, the second-most on the team.
Ernie Clement hit his team-leading 13th double of the season. Behind him are Guerrero Jr. and Andrés Giménez, who have six each. Clement is actually tied for the MLB-lead alongside Taylor Ward. What a minor league deal that has turned out to be.
It wasn’t Patrick Corbin’s best start, laying somewhere in between his Blue Jays debut and the last two starts he’s made. Over four and two-third innings pitched, Corbin allowed six hits, two earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. Both runs came in the final inning he pitched.
Braydon Fisher walked two (one intentional walk), but managed to strikeout two in his inning and a third, including a strikeout to strand the bases loaded. Tyler Rogers dropped his ERA to 0.63, and Louis Varland his to 0.60. Good to see Jeff Hoffman score a scoreless inning as well.
Next up for the Blue Jays, they begin a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. It’s the first series they’ll play against an American League East opponent this season. Dylan Cease is expected to start for the Blue Jays.
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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