Josh Hamilton’s Walkoff Homer Beats Toronto Blue Jays
Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton used his hot bat to beat the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The two-run homer from Hamilton, in the 13th inning, propelled the Rangers to the 8-7 win.
Texas jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Then the Blue Jays pounced on Rangers starter Colby Lewis for 2 runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.
Down 4-2 in the sixth, the Ranger bats came alive. Nelson Cruz, Yorvit Torrebalba and Mitch Moreland all hit solo homers off starter Henderson Alvarez. Alvarez was then ejected during Ian Kinsler's at bat following the Moreland homer. Home plate umpire Marty Foster ruled that Alvarez intentionally threw at Kinsler.
"I was just trying to get him out," said Alvarez to MLB.com. "I tried to throw a sinker in, which is my pitch, that's how I get people out. It kind of ran a little bit too much."
However, the Rangers lead didn't last for long. In the top of the seventh, Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia drove in Jose Bautista on a single to center. That tied the game at 5.
The Blue Jays then took a 7-5 lead in the top of the 13th inning. Robbie Ross was working in his second inning of relief for the Rangers, when have gave up an RBI single to Omar Vizquel. Ross was then pulled for Yoshinori Tateyama. Vizquel ended up scoring after an error on RF Nelson Cruz.
In the bottom of the 13th inning for the Rangers, Kinsler led off with a walk against Ryota Igarashi. Elvis Andrus then doubled to left and Kinsler scored from first. Jason Frasor then entered the game to pitch against Hamilton. After working Hamilton to a 1-2 count on four straight fastballs, Frasor tied to sneak a change up past Hamilton. That's when he bashed it to center for the game-winning walkoff homer.