Not only did the Blue Jays catcher rip the game-winning, two-run single in the eighth, he followed that up by stealing a base in the major leagues for the first time in his 532-game career on Friday.
Kirk, who never will be described as fleet-footed, swiped second without a throw after Texas Rangers reliever Phil Katon struck out Myles Straw.
Game ops then put up that it was Kirk’s first career stolen base on the scoreboard, resulting in a standing ovation from the crowd.
Kirk’s two-strike slash up the middle minutes earlier gave the AL-leading Blue Jays a four-run eighth, leading to a come-from-behind 6-5 win.
Earlier, the fan favourite mashed a two-run homer to cut the Rangers’ lead to 3-2.
Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grabbed the bag at second after the game and presented it to Kirk in the handshake line.
“I thought it was great,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “The infield’s playing in, they’re not going to throw. He was moving, man. I think for Vlad to give him the base was awesome. The fact he was holding it on the field post-game was even better. I think they’re authenticating it. This should go down in major-league history.”
When Blue Jays first-base coach Mark Budzinski gave Kirk the sign to steal, the catcher admitted he was caught off guard.
“He told me and I just kind of turned around and looked at him like ‘are you serious?'” Kirk told reporters through a translator after the game.
Starting pitcher Chris Bassitt thinks Kirk could have a new target.
“He’s catching (all-time base stolen-base leader) Rickey (Henderson) slowly, I think,” Bassitt said.