NEW YORK -- With the Blue Jays teetering on the brink of another suboptimal offensive performance, Ernie Clement hopped off the bench and saved the day at Yankee Stadium.

Clement’s pinch-hit home run woke the offense from its slumber in Friday’s 3-0 win over the Yankees. And while glaring concerns remain about a lineup that has scored just five runs in its past four games, timely home runs and excellent pitching have allowed the Blue Jays to go 2-2 in that span, a miracle in its own way.

Tuesday in Houston, just one day after being no-hit by Ronel Blanco, it was Davis Schneider who saved the Blue Jays from another shutout loss with his two-run home run. Clement and Schneider are close friends, living together throughout Spring Training, and have been two signs of hope in an offense still desperately in need of more.

“His went a lot farther than mine,” Clement said with a laugh.

This is the strange balance of the 4-4 Blue Jays, with each of these late wins being the perfect example. A win is a win, but it’s rare to have wins that still produce a level of stress like this.

“We’re grinding. It’s no secret that we’re trying to push runs across,” Clement said. “Schneids did it the other night; now I’m just glad that I could get a pitch to hit and give them a little boost.”

What a boost it was. Without these two clutch home runs, we’re talking about a 2-6 Blue Jays team as alarms shriek overhead. We knew that Schneider was capable of the big moments, particularly after his incredible breakout in late 2023, but Clement isn’t the first name that pops to mind when you hear the words “pinch-hit home run.”

Clement is built for these moments, though. There are times when a pinch-hitter needs to swing out of his cleats and sell out for a home run, but most of the time, a manager is just looking to improve the odds.

“With Ernie, it’s such a simple swing and so contact-oriented, that’s why he’s so good off the bench,” Schneider said, “but he’s doing damage, too, especially when he’s ahead in the count. He’s been doing that for the last year or so. A huge, huge at-bat for him. He just brings instant energy. Turning point of the game, for sure.”

Clement has been building momentum since he arrived in the organization, at first quietly. When he came up late in 2023, Clement hit .380 with one walk and four strikeouts in 52 plate appearances in September, then carried that into an excellent Spring Training that won him a job outright. He’s not just here to ride the bench; Clement has pathways to being a legitimate part of this team’s success.

Part of that will be the word of the year with the Blue Jays: “Damage.”

Clement was never a slap hitter, but was never known for his power, either. He already makes contact at an elite rate and is a fantastic athlete, so the Blue Jays have been eager to see him squeeze just a bit more power -- sorry, “damage” -- out of his bat.

“I’m not necessarily trying to hit home runs,” Clement explained. “I’m trying to impact the baseball and get pitches that I can drive. It has everything to do with pitch selection and knowing my strengths as a hitter. I dove into that. I’ve matured and have a much better idea of what I can do damage on. That was one of those pitches that I can definitely hit.”

There won’t be a Clement or Schneider riding in atop a white horse every game, though.

Old friend Marcus Stroman pitched six scoreless innings against the Blue Jays on Friday, continuing a worrying trend of opposing starters having their way with this lineup. Manager John Schneider pointed to those starters pitching to weak contact effectively, also giving some credit where it’s due. It’s becoming an early trend, though, and the Blue Jays either need to enter a game with a better plan or adjust more quickly than they have.

Above it all, you see the beauty of hitting for power. With one swing before a couple of add-on runs in the ninth on wild pitches, Clement changed the narrative of this game, just like Davis Schneider did Tuesday. The warning signs are there, but one swing of the bat can erase a dozen mistakes if it comes at the right time.

Hitting for power without the mistakes preceding it? That’s where the Blue Jays need to be.