St. John’s baseball: Joe Panik continues to improve for Toronto Blue Jays
Former St. John’s baseball star Joe Panik is starting to find his stride with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Joe Panik is starting to elevate his game as the MLB season heads for its most important month of the season, September.
Over his last three games, Panik is only 2-for-10 at the plate and after recording his first extra base hit of the season on August 28 he followed that up with yet another double on August 29 against the Baltimore Orioles.
More from Storm The Paint
- St. John’s soccer star makes history in thrilling win against Harvard
- St. John’s basketball schedule complete as Big East reveals matchups
- St. John’s basketball adds to recruiting class with 4-star wing Jaiden Glover
- St. John’s basketball: Daniss Jenkins officially cleared to join Johnnies
- St. John’s basketball prepares for busy weekend of official visits
On Sunday afternoon, Panik was back in the lineup for the Toronto Blue Jays and despite going 0-for-2, he drew two walks, none more important than the leadoff walk in the 9th inning with the Blue Jays trailing 5-4.
In his first at-bat of the game against Orioles closer Cole Sulser, Panik took a six-pitch walk and then advance to second on a sacrifice bunt from Reese McGuire.
Now in scoring position, Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo opted to pinch run for the former Johnnie with Santiago Espinal and it was another fantastic move as the Blue Jays looked like they had no magic left after a pop out from Cavan Biggio, Randal Grichuck was walked intentionally but Travis Shaw then worked a walk to load the bases.
ALSO READ: St. John’s alum Mike Repole’s bid to buy New York Mets ends
Teosco Hernandez then ripped a single into left field which plated, Espinal, the pinch runner for Panik to tie the game and the winning run in Grichuck as the Blue Jays won its fourth straight game and two of its three wins against Baltimore coming in walk-off fashion.
In the midst of this winning streak, Joe Panik has bumped his batting average to .196 with six runs scored and six walks on the season.
ALSO READ: Mike Anderson continues to invoke change within St. John’s
The Blue Jays will concluded its four game series with the Baltimore Orioles on Monday afternoon at 2:07pm EST from Sahlen Field in Albany, New York.