The Blue Jays could not have scripted a better return for Alejandro Kirk. Fresh off the 60-day injured list Friday after recovering from a left thumb fracture, Kirk received celebrity treatment at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays’ catcher drew a roaring ovation when he first emerged from the dugout before the game, then heard it again when his name was announced on the jumbotron. It was Kirk-mania in Toronto’s 8-5 win over the Yankees, as he reached base four times (three hits) and drove in two runs. Kirk’s fingerprints were on the game from the first pitch. Behind the plate, Kirk triggered a successful challenge on Trey Yesavage’s fastball, turning a ball into a strike. Then came his first at-bat. With two outs in the first inning, Kirk jumped on a pitch from Yankees starter Ryan Weathers and drove an RBI double to center field, strolling into second as Rogers Centre came alive again. “He’s just steady,” manager John Schneider said of Kirk. “He's one of one. It's great to have him back for a variety of reasons.” For Blue Jays fans, it was a refreshing sight. Kirk was back, and Toronto’s lineup suddenly looked a little more like the star-powered group that won the American League pennant a year ago. Before the game, Schneider spoke about the ripple effect of adding a hitter like Kirk, whose discipline, contact ability and power can take pressure off the rest of the order. “There’s always a domino effect,” Schneider said. “It's really good to have that kind of bat in our lineup, so I think it can rub off.”
