Kirk’s two homers power Jays past Angels 6-1

All season Blue Jays manager John Schneider has preached patience when it comes to Alejandro Kirk. That patience paid off on Saturday.

TORONTO – All season Blue Jays manager John Schneider has preached patience when it comes to Alejandro Kirk. That patience paid off on Saturday.

Kirk had two home runs, including a two-run shot, to power Toronto past the Angels 6-1 after a scary incident when Los Angeles left-fielder Taylor Ward was struck by a pitch. Kirk batted 3 for 4 on the day to improve his average to .260, closer to his all-star form of 2022 when he hit .285.

“When that patience comes from the manager, of course, it feels good. Some times I don’t feel that way myself,” said Kirk through translator Hector Lebron. “But it doesn’t matter. I come here every day, I work very hard, so I can find a way to be ready to help the team.”

Santiago Espinal’s two-run homer also scored Kirk as Toronto (59-46) won its third straight. Whit Merrifield drove in another run with an RBI double.

Kirk’s batting average dropped as low as .174 on April 9 but, for most of the season, has hovered around .250. He said that pitchers are approaching his at bats differently this year.

“I noticed that at the beginning of the year, but that’s baseball,” said Kirk. “We’ve got to go out and make adjustments, this is a game of adjustments. That’s what I’m working on right now.”

Ward was drilled in the face by an errant pitch in a bases-loaded situation for the Angels’ (54-51) only run. Ward was carted off the field by paramedics and the team confirmed he was taken to a local hospital.

“A lot of tests to be run,” said Los Angeles manager Phil Nevin, adding that he was going to visit him in hospital immediately after the game. “It got him pretty good, pretty flush.”