“He f****** cheated again”; “Clutch AF” - Fans clamor as George Springer launches 3-run HR to put Blue Jays ahead of Mariners in Game 7

George Springer sent the Rogers Centre crowd into a frenzy as he hit a go-ahead three-run home run to snatch the lead from the Seattle Mariners on Monday. The Toronto Blue Jays held onto a 4-3 win to head into their first World Series in 32 years.

In the seventh inning, Mariners reliever Bryan Woo put the first two batters he faced on base. Springer's coming to the plate necessitated a pitching change with Mariners manager Dan Wilson calling for Eduard Bazardo from the bullpen.

On the second pitch he faced, a 96 mph sinker, George Springer hit a three-run bomb to left center field that traveled 381 feet. The Blue Jays bullpen closed out the game, getting the final six outs.

Mariners fans mourned the hit, targeting the Blue Jays Designated Hitter and accusing him of cheating.

Here are a few reactions:

"He f**king cheated again," a fan wrote.

"Altuve lent him the buzzer. Check under his shirt," another fan said.

"Pete Rose gets kick out of the league for gambling but Springer can keep playing after cheating….make it make sense," another fan said.

Springer was part of the 2017 Houston Astros roster that was later proven guilty of stealing signs during home games. But the Blue Jays faithful weren't taking any slander directed at their hero. They countered with their own reactions, celebrating the home run:

"Are you kidding me!!! CLUTCH AF," a fan exclaimed.

"George never needed the trash cans," a fan said in reference to Astros using bins to steal signs.

"That’s what the Seattle fans get for cheering his injury," a fan said.

"This is what Mariners fans deserved for celebrating him getting hit by the pitch in the previous game," a fan trolled.

Springer's home run comes three days after he was hit by a pitch in the right knee by Bryan Woo in Game 5 on the road at Seattle. He had to leave the game in the seventh innings with home fans at T-Mobile Park seemingly cheering as he fell to the ground.

George Springer credits game-winning home run to teammates

In the seventh inning, Addison Barger drew the leadoff walk before Isiah Kiner-Falefa grinded his way to a single on a 0-2 pitch. Andres Gimenez then advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt. For George Springer, these moments were crucial to set up his at-bat.

"The at-bats before me. If it's not for those guys, that at-bat doesn't happen," Springer said on Fox. "I'm just so happy for our team, our fans, our city, our country. I'm so happy right now."

The 36-year-old dinger made history as it became the first home run in MLB history to be hit in a Game 7 decider with the team trailing by multiple runs in the seventh innings or later.

About the author

Nikhil Parshy is a baseball and ice hockey journalist at Sportskeeda, and after starting out as a cricket reporter, he has been an analyst with SK since November 2022. His interest in the sports were piqued a few years back after watching highlights on YouTube and he has followed the game ever since.

The Chicago Cubs breaking the 108-year curse in 2016 to lift the World Series remains Nikhil's favorite baseball moment. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been his favorite player ever since he started following the game, while the LA Dodgers are his favorite team.

As a writer, Nikhil maintains a strong attention to detail and rigorously cross-checks information. He seeks to strike a balance in his writing such that the regular reader gains an insight into player profiles, while also keeping in mind that the non-regular reader is not put off by jargon and shallow analysis.

Nikhil is an avid public speaker, and when not writing about baseball, he regularly participates in debates and quizzes.

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Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy