Blue Jays Bats Come Alive Against King Felix

Encarnacion surpasses the 40 home run mark on Thursday against the Mariners. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-US PRESSWIRE

After getting shut down on back to back nights by the likes of Kevin Millwood and Erasmo Ramirez, the Blue Jays were not so optimistic that the bats would break through against the likes of Cy Young candidate Felix Hernandez. However, that is exactly what happened as the Blue Jays pounced on King Felix and the Mariners for 13 hits and 8 runs to take the final game of the series 8-3.

The offensive outburst came mostly at the expense of Hernandez, who last just 4 innings in the game, surrendering 7 runs on 10 hits while striking out only 4 batters.

The Blue Jays jumped on the board right out of the gate, striking for two runs on Adam Lind‘s two-run home run, his tenth of the season, with two outs in the first inning.

The Jays would add 5 more runs in the fourth inning. The inning appeared to have some steam when Rajai Davis singled and stole second base, but was awkwardly thrown out at home while trying to score on Jeff Mathis‘s bunt single. However, Anthony Gose would then double, putting runners on second and third for Brett Lawrie, who would single in the pair.

After a Colby Rasmus walk, the final nail in Hernandez’s coffin would be hammered in, or out for that matter, by Edwin Encarnacion, who 1-2 change-up deep for a three-run shot, his 40th of the season. The home run was revenge of sorts after Hernandez had hit Encarnacion with a pitch in the 3rd inning.

The home run marks the first time Encarnacion has surpassed the 40 home run mark, and 3 RBI game pushed him over the 100 RBI mark for the first time in his career. This also marks the first time in club history that the Blue Jays have had back-to-back seasons with 40 home run hitters (Bautista, 43 in 2011).

The Jays would add one final run in the fifth when Jeff Mathis, who went 4-4 on the evening, singled in Kelly Johnson.

The Blue Jays will look to carry that momentum into the weekend when they host the Boston Red Sox, who the Jays swept at Fenway a week earlier.