Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Blue Jays Pull Off Largest Opening Day Comeback Win in 72 Years
At long last, a true Blue Jays home opener.
No, not a July 2020 faux home opener in an empty Buffalo stadium amid a global pandemic. Not an anti-climactic series opener in a minor-league stadium in Dunedin, Fla. in front of a docile crowd. Not even a ‘return home’ game, like in July 2021, which, while unique, only allowed around 13,000 spectators.
For the first time since 2019, the Blue Jays got a proper welcome home. 45,022 home fans roared as Toronto took the field for its first game of the 2022 season. The Blue Jays’ faithful was rightfully excited—for the first time ever, they got to watch megastars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette take the field for Opening Day at Rogers Centre.
The extravagant festivities—which included a dizzying strobe light show and the presentation of Toronto’s Silver Slugger Awards, including one to Blue Jay-turned Ranger Marcus Semien—cloaked the fact that, statistically, the Blue Jays have struggled in games like these. Excluding the last two seasons, Toronto hadn’t won its home opener since 2011.
When Blue Jays starter José Berríos couldn’t get out of the first inning, it looked like that losing trend would continue—until the real fun began, as the Blue Jays charged all the way back for 10-8 win, pulling off the largest Opening Day comeback in over 70 years in the process. And what a show it was.
"Everybody was a little nervous at the beginning, the whole team, because it's to be expected with so many people, and we want to give them a good show,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. "So that's what it looked like at the beginning, but then we settled down."
At one point down by seven runs, Toronto first tied it up in the fifth, took the lead in the sixth, then let Texas tie it in the top of the seventh when Rangers center fielder Adolis García tagged Blue Jays sidewinder Adam Cimber for a rare home run.
After nearly three hours of back-and-forth baseball, Teoscar Hernández worked a two-out walk in the bottom half of the seventh, setting up Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who roasted a double down the left field line. A good Texas relay appeared to cut Hernández down at the plate, but the Blue Jays challenged that the runner got his feet under the tag.
Hernández, now standing in the dugout, heard the umpire’s reversal and let out a loud cry that was drowned out by the even louder screams of an emotionally overstimulated crowd.
"There's not a better moment in a game like that," Hernández said with a smile.
It seemed fitting Hernández would score the game-winning run—he was was the guy who initially evened the score with a three-run, opposite field jack in the fifth.
After connecting on a fastball atop the zone, the Blue Jays right fielder dropped the bat, paused for a split second to admire his shot, and strutted down the first base line to celebrate his round tripper.
"We don't panic; we know what we're capable of," Hernández said, emphasizing his club's confidence. "We trust in each other, and, little by little, we came back."
Danny Jansen added an insurance run on a solo homer in the eighth, and, on a perfect cap to a memorable night, Markham, Ont.’s Jordan Romano closed things out.
Guerrero famously said in spring training, “What we did last year was a trailer; now you’re gonna see the movie.” If Friday’s game was a teaser for what’s to come, the Blue Jays’ 2022 season will be yet another wild ride.
