Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. celebrates his walk-off homer to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 yesterday in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/CP)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. makes his mark in Montreal baseball

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at 19, followed in his father’s footsteps thrilling the fans assembled in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium yesterday.

In the first exhibition game, Monday, Guerrero Jr. sporting his father’s number ’27’ was greeted with a standing ovation when he walked onto the field.

Fans were basking in the memories of Montreal’s baseball glory days when Vladimir Guerrero Senior played in the same stadium in the late 1990s until he left in 2002.

His father was the man behind so many home runs, stolen bases and amazing incredible outfield catches.

In this annual series of exhibition games, Guerrero Jr. didn’t disappoint.

He had the magic moment that gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 1-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals and a split of their two-game exhibition series.

It came down to the bottom of the ninth, with two out, Gurrero Jr. was the last at-bat, and he powered the ball over the left-centre field wall.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a hug from Montreal Expos pitcher Joey Eischen, as his father Guerrero Sr., #27, looks on following a 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 29, 2002 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/CP)

The crowd of almost 26,000 went crazy, demanding a curtain call from Guerrero Jr. And this is what it sounded like:

Listen

As the announcer said, that’s the end of spring-trainng. The Blue Jay fans in Toronto are hoping to see repeat performances this season.

Guerrero Jr. told reporters in Montreal, he had only vague memories of the stadium from his childhood, asking about the ice cream stand near the entrance.

The Montreal Expos were the first major league baseball team in Canada, established in 1969 they played until 2004 when they were relocated to Washington and renamed the Capitals.

The Toronto Blue Jays, have been going strong since 1977.

Tomorrow the regular season opener for the Blue Jays takes place at Toronto’s Rogers Centre against the New York Yankees.

Montreal is still hoping to have a major league baseball team back in the city. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has said Montreal and Mexico City are his two top choices for new teams.

Stephen Bronfman, along with former Montreal mayor, Denis Coderre, are leading the effort to win a new baseball franchise for the city, but a new venue would have to be part of the deal.

Vladimir Jr. was born in Montreal in 1999, dad Vladimir Sr. was born in the Dominican Republic.

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