DENVER -- Late in the Blue Jays’ 20-1 blowout of the Rockies on Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field, history started creeping in.
The hits just kept coming and coming. The balls just kept soaring over the wall, just like they had all weekend. The Blue Jays didn’t just beat the Rockies, they beat them in ways we’ve rarely seen in Major League history.
“We just broke the record for most hits in a [three-game] series. Averaging 20-plus hits a game in a three-game series is pretty absurd,” said Kevin Gausman, the local boy who had a front-row seat to his team’s dominance. “I don’t think you can say anything else. The offense has been exceptional.”
That’s right, no team in the Modern Era (since 1901) has recorded more hits in a three-game series than the Blue Jays just did. Their 63 surpassed the Cleveland Browns, who had 62 in 1950. When you put together three performances like this, you start taking records away from teams that no longer exist.
“It’s a really good team that puts the ball in play a ton. That’s what they do,” Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer said. “It’s why they’re on top of the American League. So you’ve got to tip your hat to them, and we’ve got to make better pitches.”
It looked like the Rockies might survive with just a 12-1 loss on Wednesday, which would have been ugly, but not quite as bad as their 15-1 loss in the series opener. They turned to catcher Austin Nola in the ninth, who gave up eight runs with two homers. He’s already expecting to hear from his brother, Phillies ace Aaron Nola.
“I’m sure I’m going to get a text from him,” Nola said. “I’ll just blame it on Colorado or something.”
These past three games built records on both sides of the diamond, good and bad:
MLB history is made:
- The Blue Jays’ 63 hits were the most by a single team in the Modern Era (since 1901)
- Toronto outscored Colorado, 45-6. This is the second-largest run differential between teams in a three-game series since 1901. It’s just one shy of the record (40), set by the Brooklyn Superbas against the Cincinnati Reds 124 years ago
- Toronto’s 45 runs were the most scored by a Major League team in a three-game series since the 2019 Cubs scored 47 (Sept. 13-15, 2019 vs. Pittsburgh)
- The 39-run differential ties the sixth highest in a series of three games or fewer in MLB history, per Elias
- The 1901 Brooklyn Superbas series (from above) was the last instance of a differential of 40 or more runs in a three-game series. It’s been a while!
- Toronto had 40 more hits than Colorado, which is the biggest hit differential in a three-game series since 1900, per Elias
The good news: Blue Jays history is made
- The 45 runs are a franchise record
- The 63 hits? Also a Toronto franchise record
- Two Blue Jays hitters set career highs for RBIs in a single game with six: Bo Bichette in his two-homer performance on Monday and Daulton Varsho in his two-homer game on Tuesday
- Toronto’s 13 home runs tied a franchise record for the most in a three-game set (Sept. 28-30, 2009 at Boston)
The bad news: Rockies history is made
- Those same numbers that made Blue Jays history? It’s the same story on the Colorado side
- The 45 runs, 63 hits and 13 home runs allowed are all the most against a Rockies team in franchise history
After Wednesday’s blowout, Gausman was asked what a plane ride will feel like after a record-setting series like this, especially with an off-day waiting for them Thursday. He cracked a big smile.
“We’re about to find out.”
The Rockies also have an off-day scheduled for Thursday, which they’ll welcome for different reasons.