TORONTO — Even though 35-year-old Chris Bassitt is approaching 1,100 career innings, the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher can still learn new tricks.
A week after the Baltimore Orioles shelled Bassitt on the road, he bounced back to strike out nine in seven innings for some retribution in a 5-2 win against the Orioles on Tuesday in Toronto.
Bassitt (9-10) received a significant boost from his catcher Alejandro Kirk's three-run homer in a five-run sixth inning that began with a two-out single to right field from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which extended the first baseman's hit streak to 18 games.
After giving up five runs in four innings in what turned out to be a 6-2 defeat last week in Baltimore, Bassitt worked on his slider. It was by far the best pitch in his 100-pitch outing Tuesday.
"You either adapt or you die in this league," Bassitt said.
"I'd say I probably had the best slider I've had in years today."
The series-opening win halted the Blue Jays' (52-61) two-game slide and stopped the Orioles' (67-47) two-game win streak before 35,051 at Rogers Centre.
Bassitt retired the first 16 batters he faced. He did walk Ryan O'Hearn to lead off the second inning, but the Orioles outfielder was erased on a double play when Adley Rutschman lined out to Guerrero.
"He had a great mix," Toronto manager John Schneider said of Bassitt's night. "It's a tough lineup, a lot of lefties.
"He was on a roll there for a while. They have aggressive hitters who are trying to do some damage, but with the hard and soft stuff he was as good as anybody."
Kirk has been good recently, too, benefiting from more playing time since Danny Jansen was sent to the Boston Red Sox.
He also singled in the fourth inning to give himself a .356 average (21 for 59) with four doubles, a homer and 14 RBIs in his last 16 games.
"It's the same focus," he said. "I'm trying to compete and help the pitching staff."
The 17th batter Bassitt faced was Jackson Holiday, who sent a 1-1 pitch 410 feet into the right-centre seats for his third long ball in 2024.
Bassitt's performance came to an end in the eighth inning. He issued a leadoff walk to Rutschman and back-to-back singles to Ryan Mountcastle and Eloy Jimenez.
Toronto reliever Genesis Cabrera walked in a run but then retired the next three Orioles. Chad Green pitched a clean ninth for his ninth save.
Daulton Varsho made another highlight catch, smashing into the right-centre wall on a fly ball off the bat of Orioles all-star shortstop Gunnar Henderson in the seventh.
Newcomer Joey Loperfido, acquired in the Yusei Kikuchi trade to the Houston Astros last week, also made two dazzling catches in the first and third innings.
Toronto sent nine hitters to the plate in the sixth inning. After Kirk's drive down the left-field line off reliever Gregory Soto (2-5) for his third homer, Addison Barger's double to left added two more runs.
Grayson Rodriguez was supposed to start for Baltimore, but the 13-game-winner experienced discomfort in his upper back and shoulder. and pulled himself during his warm-up.
Righty starter Albert Suarez was pressed into action. He gave up only two hits and two walks with six strikeouts in his five shutout innings.
BACK IN T.O.
The Blue Jays expect injured players Bo Bichette (calf) and Jordan Romano (elbow) to return to Toronto on Thursday to meet with the team training staff for an update on their progress.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider hopes the two can return to the lineup before the season's end.
Romano underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair an impingement on his right elbow on July 3. Bichette aggravated a right calf strain he's been dealing with most of the season on July 19.
ON DECK
The Blue Jays will start Bowden Francis (4-2) in the middle game of their three-game set against the Orioles on Wednesday. Baltimore will counter with lefty Trevor Rogers (2-10).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2024.
Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press