- Game #120 Chicago Cubs (67-51) @ Toronto Blue Jays (70-50) - game recap

 

Ernie Clement hit a 3-run HR in a 5-1 victory over the Cubs

After an off-day yesterday, the Blue Jays started a week-long homestand as they welcomed the Chicago Cubs to town. The Cubs took the season series laat year, outscoring the Blue Jays 9-8. Andres Gimenez was activated off the 10-day IL and got the start at 2B and Buddy Kennedy was DFA'd. Ace Jose Berrios got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Nathan Lukes was in LF and Addison Barger was in RF. Ernie Clement got the start at the hot corner. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Alejandro Kirk singled scoring Bo Bichette 
• The Blue Jays added 3 runs in the bottom of the 4th as Ernie Clement whacked a 3-run blast to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen; also scoring Daulton
• Javier Assad pitching line: 4IP 8H 4R (all earned) 1BB 2K 70 pitches (48 for strikes)
• Jose Berrios pitching line: 5.1IP 2H 0R 4BB 3K 91 pitches (55 for strikes)
• The Cubs got one back in the top of the 7th as Michael Busch singled scoring Dansby Swanson
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Daulton Varsho belted a solo jack to right and into the Cubs bullpen
• Final score: Blue Jays 5 Cubs 1

My Take:

• Jose Berrios threw 5.1 shutout innings, scattering 2 hits, walking 4 and striking out 3. Berrios retired the first 5 batters he faced and another out streak of 6 batters. There is a good chance that he'll be a bullpen option in the playoffs. At this point, playoff rotation looks like it'll be (in no particular order) Kevin Gausman, Eric Lauer, Shance Bieber and Max Scherzer. 
• The bullpen gave up a run on 2 hits while walking 3 and striking out 6 over the last 3.2 innings. It will be interesting to see who is the Blue Jays closer going into the playoffs in 6 weeks. Jeff Hoffman has 26 saves on the season, but he has blown 5 saves and has had control issues of late. Louis Varland has looked great early in his stint with the Blue Jays and the team needs a good closer in the 9th.
• Bo Bichette (RBI single), Ernie Clement (3-run HR) and Daulton Varsho (2 runs scored, including solo HR) carried the day offensively
• The win kept the division lead over the Yankees and Red Sox, who both had blowout wins, at 6 and 4.5 games. If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Blue Jays would have home field advantage through the ALCS and be receiving a key bye to the divisional round.
• The Blue Jays were 3-8 with runners in scoring position
• The Blue Jays have the same record after 120 games as the 1992 world series winning season. The 1993 team was 69-71 after 120 games. This Blue Jays team needs to go 30-12 the rest of the way for their franchises first 100 win season. If this is accomplished the Blue Jays will likely go into the playoffs red hot.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 3 games and notch their 21st series win and 14 season series win of the season. They will also be looking to improve their record on my birthday (August 13) to 22-22 on my birthdday and extend that win streak to 4 games. Kevin Gausman starts against Cubs righty Cade Horton.

Game #119 Chicago Cubs (67-50) v. Toronto Blue Jays (69-50)

 

Game #119 Toronto Blue Jays (69-50) @ LA Dodgers (68-50) - game recap

 

Ernie Clement hit a go-ahead solo HR in the 9th as the Blue Jays held on to edge the Dodgers 5-4

After a rough loss thanks to a rough 6th inning by the bullpen and Chris Bassitt giving up a HR, the Blue Jays were looking to snap the 2-game skid and avoid being swept for the 5th time (and 3rd season series sweep). Eric Lauer got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after DH'ing yesterday (Ty France DH'd today). Joey Loperfido was in LF and Nathan Lukes was in RF. Addison Barger was at the hot corner. Could the Blue Jays snap the 2-game skid and avoid being swept for the 5th time (and 3rd season series sweep)? 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 Dodgers tied it up in the bottom half of the inning as Shohei Ohtani whacked a solo blast to right-center 
• Three batters later,  Freddie Freeman smacked a solo blast to the opposite field in left-center 
• The Dodgers added a run in the bottom of the 2nd on a bases loaded walk to Freeman that forced in Miguel Rojas
• Eric Lauer pitching line: 3IP 6H 3R (all earned) 4BB 4K 71 pitches (42 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 6th as Ty France singled scoring Bichette
•  Tyler Glasnow pitching line: 5.2IP 4H 2R (both earned) 4BB 8K 86 pitches (53 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays tied it in the top of the 8th as Guerrero Jr. belted a solo jack to straightaway center
• A batter later, Addison Barger hammered a solo bomb to right-center
• The Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the 8th on a bases loaded walk to Freeman that forced in Alex Freeland 
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 9th as Ernie Clement whacked a solo blast to left-center 
• Mason Fluharty got the last 2 outs for his 1st save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 5 Dodgers 4

My Take:

• Eric Lauer had a rare rough start,  giving up 3 runs on 6 hits while walking 4 and striking out 4. It was clear first batter that Lauer just didn't have his best stuff working for him. Then again, the way the Dodgers have been playing in this series, even Nolan Ryan might have had a tough time. With the blowouts lately, several relievers hadn't been pitching much lately so it was a fairly easy decision to pull Lauer after three innings and 71 pitches, which likely would have given him only one more inning anyway. 
• The bullpen bent and almost broke, giving up a run on 4 hits while walking 9 and striking out 6. Yariel Rodriguez blew the first save opportunity in the 8th by walking in a run. Closer Jeff Hoffman, who hadn't pitched in a week due to blowouts, was clearly rusty and uncharacteristically walked 5 batters. The outbursts in the dugout from Pete Walker and John Schneider did their pitchers no favors. Also, pitchers need to be throwing strikes consistently to get close calls from the umpire and that did not happen today. Trading for Seranthony Dominguez may have been a mistake. In a playoff game, you need to be throwing strikes and Dominguez has shown some wildness in recent appearances.
• The bats came around late with Vlad, Addison Barger and Ernie Clement all going deep in the latter innings. 
• The Blue Jays were 1-5 with runners in scoring position
• The Yankees and Red Sox lost, extending the AL East lead to 4 games ahead of a tough homestand featuring the Cubs and Texas Rangers

• Up next, after an off-day tomorrow,  the Blue Jays welcome the Chicago Cubs to town as they begin a crucial homestand that could feature the Blue Jays debut of Shane Bieber. The Cubs won the season series last year,  outscoring the Blue Jays 9-8. Neither team has set their rotation for the series. 

Game #119 Toronto Blue Jays (68-50) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (68-49)

 

Game #118 Toronto Blue Jays (68-50) @ LA Dodgers (68-49) - game recap

 

Ernie Clement hit a solo home run in a 9-1 loss to the Dodgers

After falling short yesterday against legendary lefty Clayton Kershaw, the Blue Jays were trying to even the series and avoid their 11th series loss and 4th season series loss of the season. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Ty France at 1B. Buddy Kennedy was at the hot corner. Could the Blue Jays even the series and avoid their 11th series loss and 4th season series loss of the season? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Dodgers opened the scoring in the bottom of the 4th as Max Muncy whacked a 2-run blast to the opposite field in left; also scoring Freddie Freeman
• The Dodgers opened the scoring in the bottom of the 5th as Shohei Ohtani hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• Blake Snell pitching line: 5IP 3H 0R 3BB 10K 90 pitches (53 for strikes)
• Chris Bassitt pitching line: 4.2IP 6H 3R (all earned) 2BB 2K 68 pitches (43 for strikes)
• The Dodgers added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 6th as Dalton Rushing singled scoring Andy Pages and Michael Conforto
• Two batters later, Mookie Betts singled scoring Alex Freeland and Rushing
• Four batters later Pages doubled scoring Ohtani and Betts
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 8th as Ernie Clement belted a solo jack to left-center
• Final score: Dodgers 9 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Chris Bassitt battled through 4.2 innings,  giving up three runs on 6 hits while waking 2 and striking out 2. The Dodgers went deep on him twice for the 3 runs against. Both he and Kevin Gausman are prone to bad starts.  One might be left off an ALDS roster or asked to pitch out of the bullpen with Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber and Eric Lauer likely to be tapped to make a playoff start. For sure John Schneider and Co. wiill be closely watching the next several starts of Bassitt and Gausman to determine the playoff rotation.
• The bullpen was lit up for 6 runs on 4 hits while walking 3 and striking out 6 over the last 3.1 innings. Seranthony Domiguez, acquired at the deadline to bolster the bullpen, uncorked 2 wild pitches and was responsible for 2 of the runs against. Yariel Rodriguez, who retired just one batter, was charged with 4 runs against. Brayden Fisher and Tommy Nance both retired every batter they faced and combined for 4 strikeouts.
• Ernie Clement broke the shutout bid with a solo HR in the 8th inning
• Baseball can be such as humbling sport. After making the Colorado Rockies look like a francise that might struggle to compete in AAA-ball, the Dodgers are making the Blue Jays look like an AAA-level team. There is a vast difference in talent between the Rockies and Dodgers and the two extremes could be a strong argument for a salary cap so there is more parity in the league and a team like the Dodgers can't buy every single significant free agent. 
• The Blue Jays received help from San Diego to keep the division lead at 3 games. Houston Also lost so they remain the 3rd best division leader and would be facing a wild card series if the playoffs started tomorrow and the Tigers and Blue Jays would have byes to the ALDS. The Blue Jays would also have home field advantage at least through the ALCS.
• The Blue Jays were 0-6 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to snap the 2-game skid and avoid being swept for the 5th time (and 3rd season series sweep). Eric Lauer starts against Dodgers righty Tyler Glasnow