Cardinals beat Blue Jays 5-3 at Olympic Stadium

What really made his day was getting to wear his father’s number 27. He said he was going through his equipment bag before the game when he saw it.

“First of all I feel very proud that they did that for me,” he said through an interpretor. “It motivates me to have my dad’s number on my back and wear his number.”

Guerrero’s father was a fearsome power hitter and a spectacular right fielder for the Expos, leaving two years before the club moved to Washington D.C. He is headed to the baseball Hall of Fame this summer.

Vlad Jr., spent the first few years of his life in Montreal, but is now one of the top prospects in the Blue Jays organization. He was joined on the field by two other prospects with famous baseball dads — Dante Bichette’s son Bo and Craig Biggio’s son Cavan.

“It’s fun for me and the rest of the organization,” said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “We get to throw out some young kids.

“It’s always pretty neat. And they’re all on the right path to make the big leagues and make their own legacy.”

Toronto catcher Russell Martin, the Montreal product who got his own ovation, was happy for Guererro.

“He kind of grew up in the city a bit watching his dad play and then coming back, wearing the number his dad wore, I’m sure it was a special moment for him,” said Martin. “It looked like the fans really appreciated it.

“They loved his dad here. The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. I think we’re going to have a good one here.”

Max Schrock’ triple in a three-run eighth inning capped the Cardinals’ win.

A crowd of 25,335 turned out at Olympic Stadium for the first of a two-game set to close out the pre-season, with the second meeting set for Tuesday night.

Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman faced twelve batters through four innings but conceded two runs in 2/3 of an inning in the fifth. Marcell Ozuna led off with a home run to left centre and Jose Martinez followed with a single. Pinch runner Randy Arozorena scored on Jedd Gyorko’s two-out single off reliever Danny Barnes.

Gibbons liked how Stroman was getting ground outs and strike outs, and the pitcher said he feels ready to go.

“I feel I should be in mid-season form within the next couple of starts,” Stroman said.

Toronto tied it 2-2 off Mike Mayers in the seventh when Kendrys Morales walked and then scored on Teoscar Hernandez’s triple to centre. Hernandez scored on a Danny Espinosa single.

Yairo Munoz singled off Seung-hwan Oh and scored on Patrick Wisdom’s double to open the eighth. Francisco Pena brought in Wisdom and scored on Schrock’s triple to centre.

Toronto’s Jason Leblebijian singled and scored on a Hernandez base hit off Tyler Lyons in the bottom of the eighth.

St. Louis starter Michael Wacha went four innings with three hits, no runs and six strikeouts.

It is the fifth consecutive year that the Blue Jays end their pre-season with a pair of games in Montreal, but the first time they were held on week nights. That saw attendance drop from the usual of more than 40,000 for weekend games.

Considering it was a Monday it was still a strong turnout by fans who hope to show that baseball belongs back in Montreal.

On Thursday, Toronto opens the regular season against the New York Yankees while the Cardinals visit the New York Mets.

Before the game, eight former Montreal Expos were introduced on the field — Larry Parrish, Ellis Valentine, Chris Speier, Darren Fletcher, John Wetteland, Ken Hill, Jose Vidro and Warren Cromartie.

Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Cardinals beat Blue Jays 5-3 at Olympic Stadium

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