Jays Win Anniversary Game, Okamoto Hits Walk-Off

The Toronto Blue Jays started their 50th anniversary season on a high note, beating the Oakland

Athletics 3-2 in a tense walkoff finish on Friday night.

Newcomer Kazuma Okamoto scored the winning run in his big league debut, crossing the plate

after a key single and double in the ninth.

Pitcher Kevin Galsman dominated with 11 strikeouts, including a franchise record 10 by the

fifth inning.

The Jays grabbed the lead in the fifth, thanks to a mishandled ball in the outfield by

the athletics, letting two runs score on a triple.

Galsman kept things tight over six innings, allowing just one solo home run.

Oakland's starter, Luis Severino, held Toronto hitless early, but gave up those two runs

on three hits and three walks.

Fans at the Roger's Center love the anniversary vibes, with Blue Jays' greats like George

Bell, Pat Hengen, Jose Batista, Vernon Wells, and Ernie, with tossing ceremonial first pitches.

The win boosted Toronto's opening day record to 27 wins and 20 pre-losses, setting a positive

tone for the home crowd.

Reliever stepped up, too, with Louis Varlin hitting 99 ms per hour in his inning, and submarine

pitcher Tyler Rogers making his Jays debut.

Solid in the eighth, Okamoto also notched his first career hit earlier in the game.

The series rolls on Saturday afternoon, with Dylan Seas on the mound for Toronto against

Jeffrey Springs for Oakland, promising more excitement.

Go ahead, that's the story for today, Canada News, today, driven by AI, I'm Corey with

the story.