Jays Watch: Bats explode, Bieber delivers in Game 3

Welcome to Jays Watch, where we'll have you covered throughout the Toronto Blue Jays' postseason run. Here are our takeaways from the Blue Jays' 13-4 win over the Seattle Mariners in Wednesday's ALCS Game 3.

'It's a big swing'

The flight to Seattle clearly did the Blue Jays some good.

After two games in which the offense looked to be on life support, Toronto set the franchise record for extra-base hits in a postseason contest with nine in Game 3.

The Blue Jays recorded just four runs and five hits over the first two matchups at Rogers Centre. They eclipsed both of those totals by the third inning Wednesday.

Baseball is weird.

Toronto entered the third inning trailing 2-0 and in desperate need of a spark against George Kirby. Cue the bottom of the order: Ernie Clement, who owns a 1.118 OPS this postseason, hit a leadoff double. Andrés Giménez followed with a game-tying, two-run home run. Two players who were nominated for Gold Gloves earlier in the day gave the club the offensive jolt it was looking for.

"It's a big swing," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of Giménez's homer, his first since August.

"You never know how the game's going to go, you never know who it's going to be, right? But really, really big swing to get us going, and then kind of on down the line that inning."

Down the line, indeed.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Kirby spiked a ball that allowed the go-ahead run to score. That moment likely took some pressure off Daulton Varsho, who then followed with a two-run double to give Toronto some much-needed breathing room.

The Blue Jays struggled to muster any offense outside the first two innings in the opening two games. However, they followed the early scoring in Game 3 with one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, four in the sixth, and one in the ninth.

Toronto clearly planned to be aggressive and hunt Kirby's fastball from the start. The Blue Jays are hitting .429 with six home runs and 12 extra-base hits on the first pitch this postseason, per Sportsnet Stats. An offense not driving up a starter's pitch count can be frustrating at times, but the aggressive game plan paid off in Game 3.

"It's tough, because after the first two games, that's been our plan with all these guys," Schneider said. "These guys are very similar, and they all have really good stuff. It kind of comes down to quality of contact, which we had today."

Kirby allowed eight runs (three homers) off eight hits and two walks over four innings. It's the most runs he's surrendered in a start this season.

"I'm never going to stray away from what I do well, which is get ahead and be in the zone," Kirby said, according to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. "But they had a lot of comfortable at-bats tonight."

The Blue Jays finished the night with 18 hits, five home runs, and 16 hard-hit balls. Every starter other than Anthony Santander, who the club pulled for a defensive replacement after two at-bats, recorded at least one hit.

"I just thought we executed a really good game plan and approach against him," Schneider said.

'That's what they brought me here to do'

The best version of Shane Bieber showed up when it mattered most.

Bieber's night, however, got off to an ominous start. The right-hander walked Randy Arozarena to open the game, got Cal Raleigh to fly out, and then surrendered a 414-foot homer to Julio Rodríguez.

But Bieber settled in.

His presence on the mound can't be overstated in how he set the tone, allowing the Blue Jays to remain in the game. Bieber struck out the side in the second inning on 12 pitches and then retired Arozarena, Raleigh, and Jorge Polanco in the third after Toronto jumped out to a lead.

"To me, the biggest inning of the game was the second," Schneider said. "He strikes out the side, kind of keeps the game in check."

Bieber allowed two baserunners after the first inning and became the first Blue Jays starter to pitch into the sixth inning this postseason. He finished his night with eight strikeouts.

"I just felt like I had good stuff," Bieber said. "Obviously, it was an unfortunate start, but I came into the dugout and told the guys, 'Pick me up, I got good stuff tonight,' and they definitely listened. I was able to go back out there in the second inning and re-establish what I wanted to do."

After lasting just 2 2/3 innings in his previous start against the New York Yankees, Bieber spoke Monday about continuing to be aggressive. He said he used the time off to really dive into things, and he appeared to benefit from that extra rest between starts.

"It feels good. Very happy with the team victory today. That's what they brought me here to do," Bieber said. "I remember this time last year, having not thrown a ball for a while, just thinking that I can't wait to pitch in big games."

Schneider has gone to his bullpen a lot this postseason, and there are clear signs of fatigue with several relievers. With the ALCS moving to Seattle for three straight contests and no off days, Bieber needed to pitch deep into Game 3. He set his team up well moving forward.

'I hope we go viral again'

If the Blue Jays are going to be the first club in LCS history to win a series after dropping the first two games at home, they'll need Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get hot again.

Luckily, it looks like he's warming back up.

Despite Guerrero starting the series 0-for-7 with one walk and six groundballs over the first two contests, he showed signs that he could break out as he continued to hit the ball hard.

In Game 3, Guerrero got the ball back in the air, going 4-for-4 with a home run and two doubles. He crushed all four balls he hit:

"I always believe in me, believe in God, and it's one day at a time, one at-bat at a time," Guerrero told FOX Sports when asked about any adjustments he made on the off day.

He added: "We didn't hit, we didn't do the job (the first two games), but today I said, 'We flush it.' I just came today, I told the guys, 'Let's play how we've been playing, have fun, and enjoy the game.'"

Even after his slow start to the ALCS, Guerrero's slashing .464/.515/.964 this postseason with an MLB-best 1.479 OPS. He's tied with Teoscar Hernández for the playoff lead with 10 RBIs while striking out only once in 32 plate appearances.

"It's one day at a time, Papi. One day at a time and one game at a time. I hope we go viral again." Guerrero told FOX Sports' David Ortiz after the win.

'This is what you play for'

Max Scherzer has three Cy Young Awards and two World Series titles.

He can inch closer to a third if he can turn back the clock Thursday night at T-Mobile Park to even the series.

It's hard to know which version of the 41-year-old we'll get in Game 4. Scherzer should be well rested, considering he last started on Sept. 24 and was held off the ALDS roster. Whether or not that rest will benefit him is to be determined.

"He says he's not going to be calm, so expect Max to be Mad Max," George Springer told Sportsnet postgame.

Scherzer has dealt with numerous ailments throughout the season, though he said Wednesday that wasn't an excuse for his performance. Still, the numbers speak for themselves: he allowed 17 runs over four starts (15 innings) in September. There's no sugarcoating it; Scherzer struggled over the campaign's second half. Starting him at such a crucial point in the season is a significant gamble by the Blue Jays.

If Scherzer can't go deep, at least Schneider has a rested bullpen. Expect Chris Bassitt to be one of the first arms called if Scherzer struggles early and the Blue Jays need some length.

Scherzer hasn't announced if this season will be his last, but the thought has to be in his mind. With every win, the Blue Jays likely extend his career. No matter what the result, expect him to empty the tank.

"I love it," Scherzer said of getting the start in a pressure situation. "This is what you play for. You want to have the ball in this situation. You want to be pitching in the postseason. Every game in the postseason's a must-win, so when you step on the field in these situations, you got to bring it, you got to have your A-game."

Game 4 might just reveal how much Scherzer and the Blue Jays have left.