Game #73 - Toronto Blue Jays (35-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-41) - game recap

 

Davis Schneider scored twice, including a solo HR over the Green Monster right out of Fenway Park in a 6-1 win over the Red Sox

After an off-day/travel day yesterday, the Blue Jaya opened a week long road trip in Boston. The Blue Jays took the series in Toronto back at the end of April, outscoring the Red Sox 11-6. Dylan Cease got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the lineup after missing a couple of games with a sore back. Davis Schneider was in LF, Myles Straw was in CF and Nathan Lukes was in RF. Andres Gimenez was in SS and Ernie Clement got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays start the week and road trip with a win? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd on a sac fly by George Springer that scored Andres Gimenez
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 5th as Davis Schneider belted a solo jack right out of the ballpark and over the green monster in left
• A batter later, Gimenez hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• Payton Tolle pitching line: 5IP 4H 3R (all earned) 2BB 90 pitches (62 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 6th as Schneider doubled scoring Kazuma Okamoto
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 5IP 4H 0R 4BB 7K 108 pitches (66 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 6th as Schneider doubled scoring Kazuma Okamoto
• The Red Sox got one back in the bottom of the 8th as Jarren Duran hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• The Blue Jays added a pair of runs in the top of the 9th as George Springer smashed a 2-run blast to left-center; also scoring Myles Straw
• Louis Varland threw a scoreless 9th for his 13th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 6 Red Sox 1

My Take:

• Dylan Cease battled through 5 shutout innings, scattering 4 hits, walking 4 and striking out 7. Not the best command for him but Cease was able to make pitches when he had to in order to escape jams. Cease has arguably been the Blue Jays ace and one of their most consistent best arms in the 1st half of the season. He'll be a key part of the rotation the next few seasons, especially with  the uncertainty of Jose Berrios and Bowden Francis
• The bullpen gave up a run on 4 hits while walking 2 and striking out 4 over the last 4 innings. Jeff Hoffman was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced
• Davis Schneidet, who began his big league career at Fenway park in August 2023, went over the green monster like he did in his first big league AB. George Springer went deep in the 9th inning for 2 important insurance runs and his 300th career HR. Andres Gimenez scored twice and also went deep.
• The Red Sox were 3-1 on ABS challenges and Alejandro Kirk was unsuccessful on the Blue Jays only ABS challenge
• The Blue Jays were 1-5 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 10th series win of the season. Max Scherzer starts agains Red Sox lefty Jake Bennett

Game #73 Toronto Blue Jays (34-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-40)

 

Game #72 - New York Yankees (43-27) @ Toronto Blue Jays (34-38) - game recap

 

Nathan Lukes scored a run and drove in a run in an 8-3 loss to the Yankees

After dropping yesterday's game thanks to the inept offence, the Blue Jays were looking to notch their 10th series win of the season and end the homestand with a win. Patrick Corbin got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Ernie Clement was at SS and Davis Schneider was at 2B. Could the Blue Jays notch their 10th series win of the season and end the homestand on a winning note? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights;

• The Yankees opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Anthony Volpe singled scoring Max Schuemann
• A batter later, Ali Sanchez doubled home Volpe
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 3rd as Kazuma Okamoto singled scoring Nathan Lukes. Yankees 2B Amed Rosario was charged with a throwing error on the play
• Patrick Corbin pitching line: 3.2IP 7H 2R (both earned) 0BB 3K 76 pitches (50 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 4th as Lukes singled scoring Ernie Clement
• Will Warren pitching line: 4IP 8H 2R (both earned) 3BB 1K 98 pitches (62 for strikes)
• The Yankees retook the lead in the top of the 6th as Volpe singled scoring Schuemann
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom half of the inning as Davis Schneider hammered aa solo bomb to straightaway center 
• John Schneider was ejected in the top of the 8th for arguing a balk call charged to Jeff Hoffman
• The Yankees took the lead in the top of the 9th as Ben Rice belted a 2-run jack to the second deck in right; also scoring Ryan McMahon
• Four batters later, Jose Caballero drilled a 3-run bomb to dead center; also scoring Jasson Dominguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. 
• Final score: Yankees 8 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Patrick Corbin battled through 3 innings, giving up a pair of runs on 7 hits while walking none and striking out 3. He may have made his last start as a Blue Jay with Shane Bieber probably set to return after one more rehab start. Corbin has been less effective the last few starts and the Blue Jays can't afford to tax the bullpen anymore. Corbin did retire the last 7 batters he faced, but  Schneider didn't want him facing the Yankees three times.
• The bullpen gave up 5 runs on 4 hits while walking 4 and striking out 5 over the last 5.1 innings. It was a miserable 9th inning with Brayden Fisher and Tommy Nance both taken deep. This Yankees lineup, as the Blue Jays pitchers found out this weekend, don't miss mistakes. Jeff Hoffman retired every batter he faced.
• Offensively, Nathan Lukes (run scored, RBI) and Davis Schneider (solo HR) came through. Although the team still can't come up with clutch hits when they need it. Bases loaded, 1 out in the 2nd inning and Charles McAdoo's fly ball was too shallow to cash in a run and George Springer hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning. The Blue Jays hit into 2 double plays that killed potential rallies and went down  in order in the 5th, 7th and 8th innings. 
• Alejandro Kirk was 1-2 on ABS challenges and Yankees catcher Ali Sanchez was 1-1 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 2-9 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, after an off-day/travel day tomorrow, the Blue Jays begin a week-long road trip in Boston. The Blue Jays took the series in Toronto at the end of April, outscoring the Red Sox 11-6. Lefty Payton Tolle starts for the Red Sox. The Blue Jays haven't set their rotation for the series yet.

Game #72 New York Yankees (42-27) v. Toronto Blue Jays (34-37)

 

Game #71 - New York Yankees (42-27) @ Toronto Blue Jays (34-37) - game recap

 

Kevin Gausman fired 7 stellar innings in a losing effort as the Yankees came from behind to defeat the Blue Jays 3-1

After a huge win on Alejandro Kirk's long-awaited return to the lineup thanks to a huge night from the offense, largely thanks to Kirk, Kazuma Okamoto (who hit the 5th deck with a mammoth HR), George Springer and Vlad, the Blue Jays were trying to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 10th series win of the season. Ace Kevin Gausman got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. Vlad got the complete day off with Charles McAdoo at 1B. Jesus Sanchez was in LF, Nathan Lukes was in CF and Yohendrick Pinago was in RF. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 10th series win of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened thr scoring in the bottom of the 3rd as Kazuma Okamoto whacked a solo blast to left
• The Yankees tied it in the top of the 4th as Jasson Dominguez smacked a solo blast to right
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 7IP 1H 1R (earned) 2BB 7K 105 pitches (66 for strikes)
• Cam Schlittler pitching line: 7IP 6R 1R (earned) 4BB 7K 101 pitches (65 for strikes)
• The Yankees took the lead in the top of the 9th as Paul Goldschmidt hammered a 2-run bomb to the 2nd deck in left; also scoring Cody Bellinger
• David Bednar pitched a perfect 9th for his 13h save of the season
• Final score: Yankees 3 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman fired 7 strong innings, giving up a run on a hit while walking 2 and striking out 7. His only mistake went over the wall in right. Gausman had a a nasty splitter working that was producing a ton of hit and miss all day long. He retired the last 10 batters he faced.
• The bullpen gave up a pair of runs on 4 hits while walking none and striking out 2 over the last two innings. The difference in this one, unfortuntely, was closer Louis Varland getting taken deep for the first time this season.
• The offense had another clunker where they were unable to capitalize on a pitcher who gave up hits and walks. Kazuma Okamoto went deep in the 3rd inning, but that was about it. The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the 2nd and 8th innings and could not score. The Blue Jays had runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out in the 4th inning, no runs scored. They are definitely missing Don Mattingly.
• Both teams were 0-2 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were an abysman 1-10 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try and notch their 10th series win of the season and end the home stand with a win. Patrick Corbin starts against Yankees righty Will Warren