Winning homestand moves Blue Jays above .500 mark for first time in month

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The Blue Jays’ season-long nine-game homestand began with a blown save from Jeff Hoffman.

In terms of symmetry, this wasn’t what the team had in mind when their closer blew another in the finale.

It did, however, set the stage for extra innings, which saw the visiting San Diego Padres cash in the runner from second base in both the 10th and 11th, only to see the Blue Jays respond each time, pulling out a 7-6 victory on Nathan Lukes’ walkoff single.

Billed as School Day, the kids in attendance at the Rogers Centre got their money’s worth and then some. Among the Jays worthy of passing grades were the likes of Addison Barger and Jonatan Clase, who produced five hits between them.

The victory gave the Jays a 5-4 record during the homestand, while improving their overall record to 25-24 as they move one game above .500 for the first time in a month. Players can now catch their breath as they head to Florida to begin their first series of the season against the Rays, starting on Friday night in Tampa.

Here are three takeaways from a Blue Jays series sweep of the Padres as Toronto overcame a two-homer, five-RBI game from Gavin Sheets.

1. PEN IS MIGHTIER

Of the many deficiencies that prevented the Blue Jays from qualifying for the playoffs last season was the bullpen, a veritable house of horror. Outside of the occasional blip, the Jays have done well in getting their bullpen house in order this season.

On Thursday, it was all hands on deck in the series finale as the Jays deployed seven relievers in the win.

One of the most pleasant bullpen surprises has been Yariel Rodriguez, who has found his niche since being pulled from the rotation. He entered the game to start the fifth inning with the leading 4-2.

After striking out the side — all swinging — the Cuban right-hander hasn’t given up a run in his past 10.2 innings.

Among his victims on Thursday was Padres’ leadoff man Luis Arraez, who struck out for only the fourth time this season.

Rodriguez then stuck around to get the dangerous Manny Machado on a groundout to short before Mason Fluharty, Chad Green and Yimi Garcia followed the scoreless theme. Everything was on script until Hoffman gave up a two-run homer to Sheets to tie it 4-4.

2. PITCHER IMPERFECT

Jays starter Bowden Francis found himself in one of those unenviable positions when he made his 10th start of the season on the heels of outstanding efforts from Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman.

Following a three-up, three-down first inning, Francis was in catch-up mode within a span of two pitches in the second. After yielding a single to Jackson Merrill, Francis surrendered Sheets’ first blast.

For Francis, the belt was his MLB-leading 15th given up this season. For San Diego, it ended a 27-inning scoreless drought.

For the record, Toronto’s pitching streak of 21 successive scoreless innings came to an end with the hit.

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3. VARSHO MAN

It took Daulton Varsho just 16 games to seize the club lead in home runs after missing the first part of the schedule while recovering from shoulder surgery.

In his 17th game of the season, Varsho was kept in the yard, but remained central to the Jays attack.

He first contributed a couple of key RBIs — a third-inning fielder’s choice grounder and a sac fly in the fourth that put the Jays up 4-2.

In the 11th, he pulled a triple into right field, driving in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the tying run, then scored the winner himself on Lukes’ single to left.