The Blue Jays second walk off win in a row, Russell Martin plays hero

Rangers 3 Blue Jays 4

The way the game started, I though we were going to lose big tonight. Aaron Sanchez gave up a hard hit double to Rougned Odor to start the game, then singles to Nomar Mazara and Adrian Beltran. Three ground outs later, we were down 2-0.

In the second inning, Sanchez gave up 3 hard hit singles,but made it out of the inning with just 1 more run scoring. He gave up 3 runs in the first two innings, but it seemed like it should have been so much worse. Everything he threw seemed to be hit hard. I was half convinced he was tipping his pitches. I thought he was going to have a very short night.

Then, after the second, he was terrific. From the 3rd through the 7th he only allowed 1 hit and 2 walks. In total, 7 innings, 7 hits, 3 earned, 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. The MLB box score had him at 13 ground outs and 1 fly out. I don't believe it. I'm pretty sure I remember 2 fly outs in the 7th. But, even if they are off by a couple, he still did a great job of keeping the ball on the ground.

It seemed, until the bottom of the 6th, that the 3 runs the Rangers scored would be too much for the good guys to overcome.

We scored a run in the bottom of the first, Michael Saunders started us off with a ground rule double, and, after a Josh Donaldson strikeout, Jose Bautista singled him home. That was it for offense until 2 outs into the 6th, when Bautista walked and Edwin Encarnacion followed with a very high, deep home run.

It would sit tied at 3 until the bottom of the 9th. Edwin led off with a single. Justin Smoak, yesterdays hero, took a walk. After a Troy Tulowitzki pop up, Kevin Pillar took one of his rare base on balls,loading the bases. Russell Martin would follow with a hit sliced over the right fielder. I couldn't be happier that he got the winner.

Drew Storen and Roberto Osuna each pitched an excellent inning of relief.

Jays of the Day are Edwin (.328 WPA), Russell (.155), Osuna (.137) and Storen (.106). I'm going to give one to Sanchez too.

Suckage goes to Donaldson (-.113, 0 for 4, 2 strikeouts) and Tulo (-.199, 0 for 4, including the pop out in the 9th).

We had 1203 comments in the GameThread. DangYouToHeck led us to victory. Great job sir.