'The stars aligned': Springer's 463-ft HR timely
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TORONTO -- It seems as though there might be nothing George Springer isn’t capable of.
Entering Friday night’s 7-4 series-opening victory over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, the 29-year-old Astros outfielder already ranked among the American League’s top leadoff hitters in homers, RBIs and slugging percentage, before padding those stats with a 2-for-4 evening that included a three-run, 463-foot homer in the fifth inning.
“It’s one of the purest things in this game,” Springer said. “It was one of those things where I didn’t feel it, and I just kind of heard it and saw the flight of the ball, and just put my head down.
“The stars aligned and I hit it well. I’m just glad to help the team.”
The long ball was Springer’s 29th of the season, his second-longest of the year and the third-farthest-hit homer of his career, according to Statcast. Leaving his bat at 112.6 mph, it also tied his hardest-hit home run of 2019. The shot that turned a 1-1 tie into a three-run advantage was Springer’s second homer in as many days, after going yard against the Rays in Thursday’s loss.
“It broke the game open,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said. “We really were fortunate to still be within one run and being able to build that inning. … George can hit some pretty long homers, he can hit some timely homers, and that was a perfect one.”
“It was pretty impressive,” Houston starter Wade Miley added. “I wasn’t out there when he hit it, but I saw it on TV [in the locker room] and it looked good. It was a big moment for us.”
The three-run bomb also added to the three-time All-Star’s success in the fifth inning this season. Ahead of Friday’s matchup, Springer slashed .364/.429/.673 with four homers, five doubles and 12 RBIs in 63 plate appearances in the fifth frame of games this year.
“He’s just really talented, and he sets a great tone,” Hinch said. “Even the first pitch of the game, where he hit the ball to the warning track [in right field] and hit it hard [at 98.9 mph off the bat], the other side knows that we’re here.
“When we arrive in a ballpark and you’re sending George Springer up as the first hitter, it’s pretty intimidating. He knows what he’s doing, he knows how to jump-start a team, he knows how to provide a lot of energy, a little bit of life in the dugout. He’s the perfect table setter.”
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Houston’s center fielder added his 19th double of the year just one inning later, matching his season high with four RBIs in the contest. Springer also walked and scored two runs.
“I know who’s up behind me, so all I try to do is head to first base,” Springer said. “I don’t need to do anything besides that. These guys behind me can hit, and it’s my job to go up there and have a good, quality at-bat. And whatever happens after that happens. It’s just about slowing yourself down and letting the guys behind me do what they know how to do.”
Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Michael Brantley joined Springer among Astros with multi-hit games on Friday, each of them notching a pair of singles in the 13-hit effort from the visitors. The offense backed an abbreviated start from Miley, who needed 95 pitches to get through 3 2/3 innings, before giving way to the bullpen and using a quintet of relievers to secure the win.
“This offense is pretty spectacular in what they do,” Miley said. “It happened pretty quick in the fifth inning. We exploded. George hit a bomb and the bullpen came in, [former Blue Jays reliever Joe] Biagini came in and did an outstanding job [after] Collin McHugh got me out of the fourth.”