DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) – The nomadic Toronto Blue Jays came up short in their latest home opener location. David Fletcher had a two-run single in the 11th inning. Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said she felt at home. The Los Angeles Angels beat Toronto 7-5 on Thursday night in the first regular-season game played at the Blue Jays‘ spring training ballpark.
“The Blue Jays (organization) did an outstanding job,” Montoyo said.
Fletcher’s hit to center came on the first pitch from Rafael Dolis, who replaced Ryan Borucki (1-1) with runners on second and third and two outs.
“He hit it hard yet soft enough,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “That’s what he does. He’s a winner.”
Junior Guerra (2-0) worked a scoreless 10th before Raisel Iglesias struck out the side for his second save.
Toronto became the first team in little league history to play home openers in three cities over three consecutive seasons. The Blue Jays played in Toronto in 2019. Last year, they moved home games to the ballpark of their Triple-A team in Buffalo, New York, after the Canadian government barred them due to coronavirus travel restrictions. Last year, TD Ballpark, the home of Toronto‘s low Class-A minor league club, completed a renovation that cost more than $102 million. Four trucks with additional lighting were brought for this year’s regular-season games. At least Toronto‘s first three homestands will be played in Dunedin through mid-May.
“It’s pretty good,” Maddon said.
The Blue Jays opted to stay in Florida because of the weather, which was an ideal 80 degrees at first pitch – surprisingly, it was around the same temperature in Buffalo.
Several Toronto players were vaccinated before the game as a sign of the times. Montoyo got his second shot and said he felt tired.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio homered for the Blue Jays. The latter won their home opener in Buffalo last season 5-4 in 10 innings over Miami to end a streak of eight home-opening losses. That skid was tied for the third-longest in significant league history.
Los Angeles star Mike Trout went 3 for five, had the first regular-season hit at the ballpark, a first-inning double, and homered. He also had a potential go-ahead impact off Julian Merryweather with two on and two outs in the ninth, taken away on a diving catch by center fielder Randal Grichuk.
Guerrero connected for a 404-foot, two-run homer to center off Griffin Canning during a three-run first. In the sixth, Biggio’s s solo shot and a run-scoring single by Guerrero gave Toronto a 5-4 lead.
Trout put the Angels up 4-3 on a long solo drive to left off Ross Stripling in the fifth that went 444 feet. Shohei Ohtani pulled the Angels even at 5-all on a seventh-inning RBI single.
Ohtani had been expected to pitch this weekend; Maddon said the start would be pushed back after the game due to a blister on the righty’s throwing hand.
OTHER SPRING SITES
The Blue Jays also played regular-season games at a Florida spring training park in 2008. In April, Toronto was swept by host Tampa Bay in a three-game series at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando. Atlanta used the facility during spring training.
The Blue Jays planned to open the 1995 season in Dunedin and even sold tickets if MLB used replacement players from a work stoppage. An agreement between the players and owners was reached before any replacement players took the field.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: RHP Luke Bard has decided to have season-ending right hip surgery. It is scheduled for May 20.
Blue Jays: OF George Springer is not expected to debut in Toronto during the seven-game homestand. He started the season on the injured list with a strained left oblique muscle and now has a right quadriceps strain.
UP NEXT
Angels LHP Andrew Heaney (0-1) is scheduled to start Friday night. Toronto has not announced its starter.
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