Game Seventy-Six

Game #75 - Toronto Blue Jays (37-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-43) - game recap

After pulling out another win thanks to some nice work from the bullpen on yet another bullpen day with max Scherzer heading right back on the IL with a sore back and a nice offensive effort from Andres Gimenez, who factored in all three runs scored yesterday, scoring twice and driving in the other rub, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 3 games and complete their 2nd sweep of the season. Trey Yesavage got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. Yohendrick Pinago was in LF, Nathan Lukes was in CF and Jesus Sanchez was in RF. Could the Blue Jays make it three straight wins and complete their second sweep of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

• The Blue jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Vladimir Gurrero Jr hammered a solo bomb to dead center and over the green monster
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 2nd on s sac fly by Andres Gimenez that scored Kazuma Okamoto 
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 7th as Nathan Lukes whacked a solo blast to right- center and into the Red Sox bullpen
• The Red Sox got one back in the button half of the inning on a ground out hit by Willson Contreras that scored Ceddanne Rafaela
• Sonny Gray pitching line: 7IP 6H 3R (all earned) 1BB 4K 89 pitches (63 for strikes)
• The Red Sox got one back in the bottom of the 8th as Isiah Kiner-Falefa smacked a solo blast over the green monster in left
• A batter later, Caleb Durbin belted a solo jack over the green monster in left-center 
• Trey Yesavage pitching line: 7.1IP 4H 3R (all earned) 0BB 6K 95 pitches (66 for strikes)
• The Blue jays retook the lead in the top of the 9th as Brandon Valenzuela doubled scoring Ernie Clement 
• Mason Fluharty pitched a perfect 9th for his 1st save of the season 
• Final score: Blue Jays 4 Red Sox 3

My Take:

• Trey Yesavage was excellent today, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits while walking none and striking out 6 over 7.1 innings. He retired 21 of the first 23 batters he faced. Yesavage also reached a milestone, pitching into the 8th inning for the first time in his career. This deep effort was badly needed by a bullpen that has been asked to get all 27 outs once every 5 days and for a couple of weeks 2 times in 5 days. 
• The bullpen threw 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up 1 hit, walking none and striking out none. Tommy Nance was credited with the win and Mason Fluharty notched his first save of the season. 
• A rare thing happened today. Vlad went deep for just the 3rd time this season.  It's so perplexing why Vlad is having such difficulty getting airtime with his swings. He's got a pretty good mentor,; his father Vladimir Gurrero Sr. who went deep 449 times in his illustrious career. Evidently, he doesn't really communicate with the hitting coaches on the team. Perhaps Ross Atkins needs to look into that and revamp the hitting coaches in the off-season and maybe consider someone who might be able to work with Vlad. Brandon Valenzuela continues to impress, knocking in the game winning run with a clutch hit in the 9th inning. 
• The Blue Jays were 2-2 on ABS challenges. The Red Sox did not attempt an ABS challenge today
• The Blue Jays were 1-4 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays head to Wrigley field in Chicago. The Blue jays won the season series last year, outscoring the Cubs 8-6. Ace Kevin Gausman starts for the Blue Jays. The Cubs haven't set their rotation for the series yet. 

Game #75 Toronto Blue Jays (36-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-42)

 

Game #74 - Toronto Blue Jays (36-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-40) - game recap

 

Andres Gimenez scored twice and drove in a run in a 3-0 shutout win over the Red Sox

After prevailing over the Red Sox yesterday thanks to the bats of Davis Schneider, Andres Gimenez and George Springer, the Blue Jays were lookiing to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch theur 10th series win of the season. Tyler Heineman was traded to the Angels for cash considerations. Max Scherzer was placed on the 15-day IL with a back issue. Chad Dallas was recalled from AAA-ball. Brayden Fisher got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. The rest of the lineup was the same as yesterday's win. 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:

• Brayden Fisher pitching line: 1.1IP0H 0R 2BB 0K 21 pitches (13 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as Andres Gimenez singled scoring Davis Schneider
• Two batters later, Gimenez scored on a ground out hit by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Jake Bennett pitching line: 5.1IP3H 2R (both earned) 0BB 5K 79 pitches (55 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 8th as Guerrero Jr. singled scoring Gimenez
• Louis Varland pitched a perfect 9th for his 14th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 3 Red Sox 0

My Take:

• Yet another bullpen game with Max Scherzer going right back on the IL with a bad back. Hopefully this is the last time an opener is used. The bullpen is already so overworked never mind having to get all 27 outs. Brayden Fisher got the last 4 outs and walked 2 batters
• The rest of the bullpen threw 8.2 shutout innings, giving up 7 hits, walking 5 and striking out 6. Simeon Wood Richardson, who pitched a third of the workload or 3 innings, was credited with the win. Louis Varland was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced.
• Andres Gimenez (2 runs scored, RBI) and Vlad (2RBI) drove the offence today. George Springer, Kazuma Okamoto, Alejandro Kirk and Ernie Clement were a combined 0-15, striking out combined 7 times.
• Red Sox catcher Mickey Gasper was successful on the only ABS challenge of the day
• The Blue Jays were 2-9 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays go for their 3rd straight win and try to complete ther 2nd sweep of the season. Trey Yesavage starts against Red Sox righty Sonny Gray

Game #74 Toronto Blue Jays (35-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-41)