Game #17 - Atlanta Braves (5-11) @ Toronto Blue Jays (9-8) - game recap

 

Tyler Heineman drove in a pair of runs in an 8-4 loss to the Braves

After ending the road trip with a win, the Blue Jays started a week-long home stand against the Atlanta Braves, but the Blue Jays outscored the Braves 13-12. Lefty Easton Lucas got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Not surprisingly, George Springer was not in the lineup after leaving yesterday's game with a sore wrist after a wild swing. Anthony Santander served as DH with Alan Roden in LF and Nathan Lukes in RF. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Braves opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Sean Murphy hammered a 2-run bomb to left-center; also scoring Matt Olson
• The Braves added a pair of runs in the top of the 3rd as Austin Riley drilled a 2-run bomb to left-center: also scoring Eli White
• The Braves added a run in the top of the 5th as Ozzie Albies doubled scoring Nick Allen.  A batter later Riley belted a 3-run jack to left-center also scoring White and Albies
• Easton Lucas pitching line: 5IP 6H 8R (all earned) 4BB 3K 87 pitches (60 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 6th as Myles Straw hammered a solo bomb to left-center
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom of the 8th as Tyler Heineman doubled scoring Alan Roden and Nathan Lukes
• Grant Holmes pitching line: 7.2IP 2H 3R (all earned) 2BB 4K 94 pitches (78 for strikes)
• The Blue jays got one back in the bottom of the 9th as Ernie Clement singled home Anthony Santander
• Final score: Braves 8 Blue Jays 4

My Take:

• Easton Lucas was lit up for 8 runs on 6 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3 over 5 innings. The Braves took him deep three times for 7 of the runs.  He actually retired the first two batters he faced and four in a row at one point.  The trouble was he didn't have an answer when he got into jams and the Braves made him pay when he was off with his location. A good learning night for the lefty who has done well pitching in Max Scherzer's spot in the rotation. Here's hoping he bounces back against the Mariners in his next scheduled start Sunday. 
• The bullpen threw 4 perfect innings strikiing out 1 batter. 
• The offence did nothing until the 6th inning when Myles Straw went yard for his first home run as a Blue Jay. Tyler Heineman (2-run double) and Ernie Clement (RBI single) drove in the other runs
• Not sure who has more pressure on them: Bo Bichette, who is playing for a contract in free agency or Vlad, who just signed a 14-year contract that will put him in the top 5 for richest active MLB player. Both players were 0-4 and Bichette struck out 3 times. I suspect the pressure is on Vlad more, which is rich because fans would be all over the front office if the deal wasn't signed and both Vlad and Bo left for greener pastures. The front office will have it's critics still if Vlad struggles to live up to the hefty deal. He has yet to hit a home run this season but is still batting a solid .284
• The Blue Jays were 2-6 with runners in scoring position\
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the series. Kevin Gausman starts against Braves righty Spencer Schwellenbach

Game #17 Atlanta Barves (4-11) v. Toronto Blue Jays (9-7)

 

Game #16 - Toronto Blue Jays (9-7) @ Baltimore Orioles (6-9) - game recap

 

Myles Straw drove in the winning run in a 7-6 extra-innings thrilling comeback win by the Blue Jays over the division rival Orioles

After a tough loss thanks to Bowden Francis giing up 5 runs in the 5th and 6th innings combined, the Blue Jays were looking to snap the 2-game skid and end the first road trip of the season with a win. Ace Jose Berrios got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Springer got the half day off as DH with Anthony Santander in RF. Davis Schneider was in LF and Miles Straw was in CF. Ernie Clement was at the hot corner. Could the Blue Jays snap the 2-game skid and end the 1st road trip of the season on a winning note? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Orioles opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st on a wild pitch by Jose Berrios that scored Gunnar Henderson
• The Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the 2nd as Alejandro Kirk whacked a solo blast to left-center
• The Orioles retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Ryan Mountcastle smacked a solo blast to left
• The Blue jays tied it up in the top of the 3rd as Vladimir Guerrero Jr.  singled scoring Davis Schneider
• The Orioles retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a fielder's choice hit by Adley Rutschman that scored Henderson
• Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was ejected from the game for arguing balls and strikes
• The Orioles added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Tyler O'Neill belted a solo jack to left-center
• George Springer left the game after the top of the 5th street he appeared to injure his wrist swinging the bat
• Cade Povich pitching line: 4.2IP 7H 2R (both earned) 1BB 2K 76 pitches (48 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got a run back in the top of the 6th as Myles Straw singled scoring Ernie Clement
• Jose Berrios pitching line: 5IP 7H 4R (all earned) 1BB 6K 86 pitches (56 for strikes)
• The Orioles added a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning on a fielding error by Guerrero Jr on a ball hit by Jackson Holliday that scored Heston Kjerstad and Mountcastle
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 8th as Kirk doubled scoring Andres Gimenez
• Three batters later, Tyler Heineman scored on a ground out hit by Schneider
• A batter later, Bo Bichette singled home Clement
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 10th on an infield single by Straw that scored Gimenez
• Final score: Blue Jays 7 Orioles 6 (10 innings) 

My Take: 

• Jose Berrios battled through 5 innings,  giving up 4 runs on 7 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6. The Orioles were able to tack on runs in each of the first 4 innings and took Berrios yard twice.  Berrios also uncorked a wild pitch. He also picked off a runner at 2nd base for the second straight start to escape the 3rd inning jam. The Blue Jays offense was able to get him off the hook for a no decision.
• The bullpen was solid when it needed to be. It gave up a pair of runs in the 6th, but that was a result of a fielding error by Vlad on a play he should have made. Brandon Little and Yimi Garcia both retired every batter they faced. Jeff Hoffman channeled his inner Trevor Hoffman with 2 solid innings and ended the game with 2 straight K's. 
• The bottom haldf of the lineup did most of the damage. Myles Straw had 2 RBI, including the game-winning run in the 10th. Ernie Clement was 4-5 on the day and scored twice, and Davis Schneider knocked in a run and scored a run. Alejandro Kirk hit his first HR of the season and had a very big RBI double to start the 3-run rally in the 8th
• Every Blue Jays starter except George Springer, who left the game after injuring himself on a hard swing, had at least one hit.
• The Blue Jays were 7-20 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays return home to start a weeklong homestand starting tomorrow night against the Braves, who who the season series last season, but the Blue Jays outscored the Braves 13-12. Easton Lucas starts against Braves righty Grant Holmes

Game #16 Toronto Blue Jays (8-7) @ Baltimore Orioles (6-8)

 

Game #15 - Toronto Blue Jays (8-7) @ Baltimore Orioles (6-8) - game recap

 

Anthony Santander hit his first home run as a Blue Jay against his former team in a losing effort as the Orioles came from behind to edge the Blue Jays 5-4

After the first rainout of the season, the Blue Jays moved to the 3rd and final stop of the season-opening road trip and a rematch with the Orioles. The two squads split the 4 games of the season-opening series in Toronto with the Orioles outscoring the Blue Jays 24-18. Bowden Francis got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the lineup and at 1B after missing the last game to nurse an ailing wrist. The rest of the lineup was the same as Thursday's extra innings loss in Boston. Could the Blue Jays start the abbreviated weekend with a win? Here is today's game recap

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled scoring Bo Bichette
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 2nd as Bichette singled home Nathan Lukes
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 4th as Anthony Santander hammered a solo bomb to right-center
• Tomoyuki Sugano pitching line: 4.2IP 8H 3R (all earned) 2BB 0K 73 pitches (45 for strikes)
• The Orioles got a pair back in the bottom of the 5th as Heston Kjerstad hammered a solo bomb to dead center; also scoring Cedric Mullins
• The Orioles tied it up in the bottom of the 6th as Adley Rutschman belted a solo jack to right-center
• Three batters later,  Mullins tripled scoring Jordan Westburg and Ryan O'Hearn
• Bowden Francis pitching line: 5.2IP 4H 5R (all earned) 2BB 5K 96 pitches (53 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 7th on a double play ball hit by Bichette that scored Lukes
• Felix Bautista pitched a scoreless 9th for his 1st save of the season
• Final score: Orioles 5 Blue Jays 4

My Take

• Bowden Francis retired the first 13 batters he faced before the Orioles got to him to the tune of 5 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. Was Francis trying to pitch too fine knowing the potential of what was happening? The Orioles took him deep twice and capped off the damage with a triple. Pitching from the stretch is different from pitching with no runners on, although Francis uses a stance more similar to a reliever, standing sideways to the bitter as opposed to facing the bitter dead on.  Francis has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the past few seasons. 
• The bullpen did its part to give the Blue Jays a chance to mount a comeback, limiting the Orioles to a hit and a hit batter over the last 2.1 innings. Mason Fluharty retired every batter he faced.
• The offense jumped on starter Tomoyuki Sugano early, scoring a run in three of the first four innings. Anthony Santander homered for the first time in a Blue Jays uniform back in his old stomping grounds at Oriole Park in Camden Yards. Bo Bichette scored a run and drove in a run. Vlad also contributed an RBI double. The trouble was after they knocked Sugano out of the game, the Blue Jays produced one more run in the 7th, but could not tie the game with Bichette striking out to end the game.
• Quirky play of the day: a fly ball out by Santander that appeared to advance Vlad and Bichette on the play turned to to be a double play because Vlad left 1st base before Orioles RF Tyler O'Neill had caught the ball
• The Blue Jays were 4-13 with runners in scoring position. The Orioles were 2-3 with runners in scoring position and that was the difference maker in today's loss
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to end the road trip with a win and escape Baltimore with a series split. Ace Jose Berrios starts against Orioles lefty Cade Povich