Leo Jimenez records his first big-league home run on a two-run blast

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If there’s a Will there’s a way and Will Wagner went well out of his way to make quite the first impression.

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Using his big-league debut as the backdrop, Wagner looked like a seasoned veteran, unfazed by the spotlight, comfortable in his surroundings and showing a remarkable ability to hit on a team desperate to identify hitters.

It’s not every night when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t on the marquee, but Monday was Wagner’s night, the kind of night that will resonate and will forever be remembered and recounted.

Wagner’s encore performance now awaits. As impressive as Wagner’s debut turned out, Bowden Francis was equally impressive in his start.

Outside of one pitch, Francis was sublime in going the deepest he has ever gone in his nascent career, helping propel the Blue Jays to their 4-2 win over the host L.A. Angels as Toronto’s six-game road trip began with a bang.

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Francis began the seventh inning by recording his seventh strikeout. Then came strikeout No. 8 as Francis pitched like a staff ace.

A routine fly ball to centre would allow Francis to retire the side in order.

After yielding a solo homer to Mickey Moniak in the third inning, Francis retired the next 14 hitters he faced, while issuing no walks.

Francis went seven complete innings and would give up one hit in what was, hands down, his best career start in an 81-pitch outing.

L.A. scored its second run, also via the long ball, when Chad Green was taken deep on a leadoff blast by Jo Adell in the ninth inning. With the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, Wagner went 10-for-25 with five walks and four strikeouts in seven games.

He made five starts at second base and one at third with the Bisons.

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When Wagner was traded, it coincided with his 29th birthday. In Houston, the chances of Wagner playing were slim given the Astros’ star quality and pedigree.

The Jays are not dotted with stars, other than Vlad Jr., and their lineup is loaded with youthful pieces, paving the way for Wagner to get his turn at bat in the show.

He wore jersey No. 7 and started at second base at Angel Stadium. He hit sixth in the order and would lead off the second inning.

In his first at-bat, Wagner, who bats left-handed, swung at the very first pitch he saw and drilled a Davis Daniel offering into right-centre field for a double.

First pitch, one swing, first hit, milestone baseball retrieved, Wagner had officially arrived.

More moments would follow.

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Two batters later, Wagner’s former Astros teammate, Joey Loperfido, flew out to centre.

Both were acquired as part of the three-player trade that sent Yusei Kikuchi to the Astros. The third player, right-hander Jake Bloss, pitched 2.2 scoreless innings Saturday when the 23-year-old starter made his organizational debut with the Bisons.

After being left stranded at second base, Wagner made his first defensive play to record the first out in the home half of the second.

In Wagner’s second at-bat, he had a runner at second with two outs.

Wagner fell behind the count, but showed solid mechanics in sending a pitch up the middle for an RBI single as the Jays led, 2-0.

The advantage doubled when Leo Jimenez unloaded on a fastball by sending it over the wall in left-centre for his first big-league home run as Wagner scored his first run.

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Wagner’s third at-bat came with two outs and a runner at first in the fifth inning.

The kid went 3-for-3 when he slapped a ball into right field as Wagner became the fourth player in club history to record three hits in his first game in the show.

His fourth at-bat arrived in the seventh with two out and runners at the corner.

This time, he was facing a left-hander.

Wagner made solid contact, but it resulted in a long out to centre, leaving his first runners on base.

Wagner’s dad, Billy Wagner, was a hard-throwing left-handed reliever who saved 225 games for the Astros, a franchise record.

When the elder Wagner retired, he had saved 422 games during a career that also included stops with the Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves.

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In terms of career saves by a lefty, only John Franco (424) had more than the man known as Billy the Kid.

Now his kid is in the big leagues, becoming the eighth player to make his MLB debut with the Blue Jays this season.

And he did it all, whether it was at the plate or in the field.

NEW STREAK

Having had his 22-game hit streak, which tied a career-high, snapped Sunday, Vlad Jr. needed two at-bats to begin anew.

With one out in the third inning, Vlad Jr. recorded his 31st double of the season by sending a line drive into left field.

He came around to score when Spencer Horwitz hit a ground-rule double.

Hits were scarce in back-to-back losses, including a 1-0 shutout Saturday, to Oakland when the Jays went 10 hitless innings across two games.

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Through three innings Monday, the Jays had six hits, while scoring four runs.

Vlad Jr. recorded his second hit of the night on a single in the seventh as the Jays increased their hit total to nine.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

A quick look at the Jays’ order and the emphasis on youth was hard to ignore.

With George Springer not in the starting lineup, the Jays had Ernie Clement hit leadoff.

The bottom of the order featured Jimenez in the seventh hole followed by Loperfido with Steward Berroa batting ninth.

Some of the regulars included Vlad Jr. hitting in his customary No. 3 hole.

In Monday’s series opener, Horwitz batted cleanup followed by Alejandro Kirk, who was behind home plate.

Daulton Varsho started in centre field and hit second much like he did in Sunday’s series finale against the A’s.

Jimenez has been solid at shortstop, while Toronto’s corner outfield had Loperfido in left and Berroa in right.

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