Mark Trumbo’s fourth inning home run blast gives the Baltimore Orioles a 2-1 lead over Toronto in the 2016 AL Wild Card game.
Finding themselves down 1-0 in the fourth inning of the 2016 AL Wild Card game, the Baltimore Orioles needed a big hit from anyone. Just like it’s been all year, Mark Trumbo stepped up to the plate and delivered for the Orioles in a big way.
The 30-year-old right fielder has been one of the best comeback players in baseball this season and he proved it on Tuesday night with a huge go-ahead homer to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Blue Jays’ starter Marcus Stroman left it right over the plate, at the knees, in the sweet spot for the big right-hander and Trumbo made him pay. He hit the ball about 354 yards to left field, just a tad shorter than Jose Bautista’s solo home run two innings before to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 advantage.
About halfway through the game, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the two teams’ only offense has come from home runs. Each has been blasting balls over the fence at a high pace this season and the long ball has been a major reason as to why both are in the AL Wild Card.
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Trumbo led the entire league in home runs this season with 47, which was four more than the next guy on the list. He also batted .256 and added 108 RBI. This was easily his best season as a pro as he showed flashbacks of his successful years with the Angels from 2011-13.
If Trumbo keeps hitting like this and the Orioles advance to the ALDS to take on the Texas Rangers, there may be no stopping the Orioles’ offense this postseason. Pitching is another story.