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Smoak catches fire with five-RBI night
- Updated: August 27, 2016
TORONTO — The Blue Jays’ offensive explosion had an unlikely catalyst on Friday evening, as Justin Smoak had night to remember in Toronto’s 15-8 victory against the Twins.
Smoak slammed a three-run home run in the second inning to give the Blue Jays a lead they would not relinquish, and he finished his outing 3-for-5 with a season-high five RBIs.
The first baseman entered Friday’s contest in a major offensive funk, notching just 21 hits in his past 139 at-bats with an alarming 60 strikeouts over that span.
Smoak’s playing time has also decreased in the second half, with the Blue Jays rotating several of their regular veterans and players returning from injury in the designated hitter’s spot and moving Edwin Encarnacion to Smoak’s natural position at first base.
Despite all that, Smoak’s offensive outburst led Toronto’s 15-hit attack on Friday, and it opened the floodgates during a five-run second inning. Smoak recorded five RBIs for the third time in his Major League career …
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