Game #88 LA Angels (43-44) @ Toronto Blue Jays (50-38) - game recap

 

Myles Straw scored the game winning run in a 4-3 extra-innings, walk-off win over the Angels

After a huge series sweep over the Yankees thanks to the bat of George Springer, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 6 games. Lefty Justin Bruihl was optioned back to AAA-ball. Righty Lazaro Estrada had his contract selected to the MLB roster. Anthony Santander was transferred to the 60-day IL. Eric Lauer got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Bo Bichette was back in the lineup and at SS after missing a few days with a sore knee from stepping on an errant ball during warm-ups earlier this week. Vlad got the complete day off with Will Wagner at 1B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 6 games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 6th as Andres Gimenez singled scoring Will Wagner
• A batter later, Gimenez left the game after aggravating an ankle injury 
• A batter after that Bo Bichette singled scoring Leo Jimenez
• A batter later, George Springer scored on a fielder's choice hit by Addison Barger. Angels SS Zach Neto was charged with a fielding error on the play
• Kyle Hendricks pitching line: 5.1IP 4H 3R (all earned) 0BB 2K 82 pitches (58 for strikes)
• The Angels tied it up in the top of the 7th as Jo Adell hammered a 3-run bomb to dead center; also scoring Mike Trout and Taylor Ward
• Eric Lauer pitching line: 6IP 3H 2R (both earned) 1BB 6K 94 pitches (65 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays walked it off in the bottom of the 10th on a sac bunt by Ernie Clement that scored Myles Straw. Angels pitcher Sam Bachman was charged with a throwing error on the play
• Final score: Blue Jays 4 Angels 3 (10 innings)

My Take:

• Eric Lauer was excellent again, firing 6 shutout innings before allowing a pair of hits in a 7th inning he probably never should have started given he was approaching 85 pitches and have never thrown over that limit this season. After walking Trout with 2 outs in the 1st inning, Lauer proceeded to retire 16 of the next 17 batters he faced. Lauer deserves to be in the rotation the remainder of the season
• The bullpen gave up 3 runs (2 of which were charged to starter Lauer) on 2 hits while walking 3 and striking out 5 over the last 4 innings. Nick Sandlin needs to buy Lauer a big "I'm sorry" dinner for ruining his chance at a win. Chad Green was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced and was credited with the win.
• Small ball was the name of the game offensively with Bo Bichette and Andres Gimenez both knocking in runs with clutch base hits. The Blue Jays also took advantage of some sloppy Angels defense on the other 2 runs. 
• The Blue Jays were 2-4 with runners in scoring position
• With the win, the Blue Jays reached 50 wins on the season, just 2 games earlier than a certain 1993 world series winning team reached the 50 win mark
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to stretch the win streak to 7 games and notch their 15th series win of the season. Max Scherzer starts against Angels righty Jack Kochanowicz.

Game #88 Los Angeles Angels (43-43) v. Toronto Blue Jays (49-38) AppleTV Exclusive

 

-Game #87 New York Yankees (48-39) @ Toronto Blue Jays (49-38) - game recap

 

George Springer homered twice in an 8-5 win over the Yankees to take over sole possession of 1st in the AL East

After hanging on by the skin of their teeth for another huge win over the Yankees that pulled them even with the Bronx Bombers for 1st in the AL East, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 5 games, complete their 6th series sweep and take sole possession of 1st in the AL East. and likely a home playoff round. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Nathan Lukes got the start in LF and the rest of the lineup was the same as yesterday. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 5 games, complete their 6th series sweep and take sole possession of 1st place in the AL East? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Addison Barger doubled scoring George Springer
• The Yankees tied it up in the top of the 3rd as Trent Grisham hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• The Blue Jays retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as George Springer whacked a 2-run blast to the opposite field in right-center; also scoring Nathan Lukes
• The Yankees got one back in the top of the 4th as Anthony Volpe singled scoring Jasson Dominguez
• Three batters later, Volpe scored on a wild pitch by Chris Bassitt
• Clarke Schmidt pitching line: 3IP 4H 3R (all earned) 2BB 1K 55 pitches (31 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Lukes doubled scoring Will Wagner and Davis Schneider
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Barger belted a solo jack to right-center
• Chris Bassitt pitching line: 5.2IP 8H 3R (all earned) 3BB 9K 113 pitches (72 for strikes)
• The Yankees got one back in the top of the 7th as Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled scoring Aaron Judge
• Two batters later, Cody Bellinger scored on a ground out hit by Volpe
• The Blue Jays added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 8th as Springer drilled a 2-run bomb to left-center; also scoring Lukes
• Jeff Hoffman threw a scoreless 9th for his 21st save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 8 Yankees 5

My Take:

• Chris Bassitt battled through 5.2 innings, giving up 3 runs on 8 hits while walking 3 and striking out 9. There really was no easy inning for Bassitt, who was working into and out of jams all night long. Manager John Schneider continues to lack any real touch when it comes to knowing when to pull a pitcher. He's ended plenty of pitchers nights at the pitch count Bassitt had after 5 innings. Intead he let Bassitt throw 113 pitches. The Blue Jays can ill-afford to lose Bassitt to injury for any length of time. They simply don't have a  viable option and Max Scherzer could be done for the season at any moment with his thumb injury. Alek Manoah won't be ready to play until August if everything goes right. Same for Rickey Tiederman.
• The bullpen gave up 2 runs on 4 hits while walking 2 and sriking out 3 over the last 3.1  innings. Lefty Justin Bruihl retired every batter he faced
• The offence was led by George Springer (2HR, 3 runs scored, 4RBI), Addison Barger (solo HR, 2 RBI) and Nathan Lukes (scored twice, drove in 2 runs)
• The Blue Jays were 2-7 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 6 games as they welcome the Angels to town. The Angels took the series in LA back at the beginning of May, outscoring the Blue Jays 18-15. Eric Lauer gets the start for the Blue Jays. The Angels haven't set their rotation for the series yet.

Game #87 New York Yankees (48-38) v. Toronto Blue Jays (48-38)

 

Game #86 New York Yankees (48-37) v. Toronto Blue Jays (47-38)