Game #68 - Philadelphia Phillies (36-31) @ Toronto Blue Jays (33-35) - game recap

 

Brandon Valenzuela drove in the winning run in a 3-2 comeback walk-off win over the Phillies

After a loss yesterday due to Patrick Corbin imploding, the Blue Jays were looking to even the series and avoid their 9th series loss of the season. Dylan Cease was activated from the 15-day IL (and got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate) and Adam Macko was optioned to AAA-ball. George Springer got the full day off with Vlad getting the half day off as DH and  Chatles McAdoo at 1B. Jesus Sanchez was in LF, Nathan Lukes was in CF and Yohendrick Pinago was in RF. Could the Blue Jays even the series and avoid their 9th series loss of the season? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Brandon Marsh doubled scoring Trea Turner
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 6th as Jesus Sanchez belted a solo jack to right-center
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 6IP 3H 1R (earned) 1BB 11K 93 pitches (60 for strikes)
• Zack Wheeler pitching line: 6IP 6H 1R (earned) 0BB 5K 96 pitches (60 for strikes)
• The Phillies took the lead in the top of the 9th as Bryson Stott doubled scoring Bryce Harper 
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch by Jhoan Duran that scored Myles Straw
• Same batter, Brandon Valenzuela singled scoring Daulton Varsho
• Final score: Blue Jays 3 Phillies 2

My Take:

• Dylan Cease fired 6 strong innings, giving up a run on 3 hits while walking 1 and striking out 11. He had out streaks of 7 and 8 batters. Cease has been the Blue Jays best starting pitcher and a great off-season signing by Ross Atkins. He should be considered for the all-star game.
• The bullpen gave up a run on 2 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4 over the last 3 innings. It's amazing how often a leadoff walk comes back to bite a pitcher in the ass. Louis Varland, who should not only be an all-star, he should be the reliever of the year, walked Bryce Harper on 4 pitches to start the 9th, saw him score when Bryson Stott lined a double opposite field. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to a nice swing on a solid pitch. Mason Fluharty retired every batter he faced
• The offense came through when it mattered with a 2-run rally in the 9th. Brandon Valenzuela will only get credited for one RBI, but he played a huge role in Myles Straw scoring on the wild pitch to tie the game by waving the pinch runner home. Jesus Sanchez took starter Zack Wheeler deep for the other Blue Jays run on the day. Vlad hit leadoff and the move didn't really work with him going 1-4 on the day.
• Harper was successful on the Phillies only ABS challenge while the Blue Jays were 1-1 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 1-3 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 against Phillies lefty Jesus Luzardo

Game #68 Philadelphia Phillies (36-30) v. Toronto Blue Jays (32-35)

 

Game #67 - Philadelphia Phillies (36-30) @ Toronto Blue Jays (32-35) - game recap

 

Ernie Clement hit a solo HR in a 5-2 loss to the Phillies

After a huge win thanks to a 5- run 6th inning rally yesterday, the Blue Jays continued the homestand as they welcomed the Phillies to town. The Phillies won the season series last year, outscoring the Blue Jays 32-20. Tommy Nance was activated off the IL and Yariel Rodriguez was DFA'd. Patrick Corbin got the start with  Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Yohendrick Pinango was in LF and Nathan Lukes was in RF

Game Highlights:

• The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Adolis Garcia whacked a 2-run blast to left-center; also scoring Bryson Stott
• The Phillies added a run in the top of the 3rd as Alec Bohm singled scoring Trea Turner
• A batter later, JT Realmuto singled scoring Bryce Harper 
• A batter after that, Brandon Marsh scored on a bases loaded walk to Stott
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning on a ground out hit by Yohendrick Pinago that scored Myles Straw
• Patrick Corbin pitching line: 3IP 4H 5R (all earned) 4BB 3K 79 pitches (44 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays  got one back in the bottom of the 5th as Ernie Clement whacked a solo blast to left-center
• Christopher Sanchez pitching line: 7IP 4H 2R (both earned) 1BB 10K 107 pitches (75 for strikes)
• Jhoan Duran threw a scoreles 9th for his 16th save of the season
• Final score: Phillies 5 Blue Jays 2

My Take:

• Patrick Corbin was lit up for 5 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3 over 3 innings. This is likely his last appearance in a Blue Jays uniforn with Dylan Cease and Max Scherzer both coming off the IL the next 2 days. Corbin did a nice job overall filling in when the Blue Jays were razor thin in the rotation with Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce, Scherzer and Cease all on the IL simultaneously at one point. The Blue Jays won't carry more than 6 starters in the rotation at a time and the bullpen has some long man options in SWR and Spencer Miles.
• The bullpen threw 6 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits, walking 1 and striking out 5. SWR looked fantastic in his Blue Jays debut (I bet the team was secretly hoping he would crash and burn to give them an easier DFA when they need to open a roster spot. Management is going to have some very difficult choices to make in the coming days as the injured players come back. Maybe there's a reliever, like Trevor Hoffman, who might be playing through an injury they can put on the IL, though he could be DFA'd. Maybe Scherzer retitres if his physical issues creep up again this week. Or the team could option a player who has options left.
• Yohendrick Pinago, another player likely to be optioned, had a very up and down day. He flubbed a fly ball in LF that he should have caught in the 1st inning, knocked in the Blue Jays 1st run in the 3rd inning on a productive ground out and legged out a double into a triple after that liner was misplayed by Adolis Garcia. Ernie Clement went deep in the 5th inning for the Blue Jays other run 
• George Springer and Vlad were a combined 0-8 with 5 strikeouts - not good enough. Vlad takes the most heat being the team's top paid player, getting what Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are making but not giving the team the same bang fot the buck. He is still at 3 home runs on the season and all on the road. He'll likely be voted in as an all-star because the starting lineup amounts to a popularity contest at times. Springer isn't much better, barely hitting above the Mendoza line of .200. His resurgance from last season did not continue into this season.
• Tyler Heineman started what could be his last game in a Blue Jays uniform with Alejandro Kirk expected to come off the IL against the Yankees Friday. He was 0-2 today at the plate and did not attempt any ABS challenges. Simply put, rookie catcher Brandon Valenzuela has outplayed him and forced his way to the backup role behind Alejandro Kirk.
• The Phillies were 2-1 on ABS challenges and the Blue Jays did not attempt any ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 0-10 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the series and avoid their 9th series loss of the season. Dylan Cease starts against Phillies righty Zack Wheeler.

Game #67 Philadelphia Phillies (35-30) v. Toronto Blue Jays (32-34)

 

Game #66 - Baltimore Orioles (31-35) @ Toronto Blue Jays (32-34) - game recap

 

Brandon Valenzuela drove in a pair of runs and scored once in a 6-4 comeback win over the Orioles

After a huge win thanks to Ernie Clement having a huge day at the plate and in the field, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 9th series win of the season. Ace Kevin Gausman got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. Yohendrick Pinago was in RF. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 9th series win of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Orioles opened the scoring in the top of the 5th as Colton Cowser smacked a solo blast to right-center and into the Orioles bullpen
• Three batters later, Blaze Alexander doubled scoring Jackson Holliday
• A batter later, Taylor Ward whacked a 2-run blast to left; also scoring Holliday
• Kevin Gausman pitching line 5IP 5H 4R (all earned) 0BB 5K 93 pitches (58 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 6th as Yohendrick Pinago hammered a solo bomb to the 3rd deck in right
• Four batters later, Jesus Sanchez scored on a ground out hit by Brandon Valenzuela
• A batter later, Kazuma Okamoto singled scoring Ernie Clement
• A batter after that, Andrea Gimenez doubled scoring Okamoto
• A batter later, Nathan Lukes singled home Gimenez
• Shane Bas pitching line: 5.2IP 7H 5R (1 earned) 1BB 3K 81 pitches (56 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Valenzuela belted a solo jack to right
• Louis Varland threw a scoreless 9th for his 11th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 6 Orioles 4

My Take:

• It was another subpar performance for Kevin Gausman, who notoriously struggles against the O's, the team that drafted him in 2012 and that he played for his first 5.5 seasons. Today, he gave up 4 runs on 5 hits while walking none and striking out 5. He retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced before the Orioles finally got to him. Unfortunate inning for Gausy, who has been regressing this season. He will likely be traded at the deadline if the Blue Jays are out of the playoff race. 
• The bullpen threw 4 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits, walking 1 and striking out 5. The rubber arms in Tyler Rogers and Louis Varlannd combined to get the last 8 outs and Rogers got out of the mess created by Connor Seabold in the 7th inning. Adam Macko shoud be tried in some higher leverage situations.
• The offense rallied for 5 runs in the 6th inning and Brandon Valenzuela is doing absolutely everything in his power to be Alejandro Kirk's backup in a week or so. He drove in a pair, including a massive home run in the 8th for a 2-run cushion. Also made a nice play in the field. Very telling he started 3 straight games - something not seen very often with such a physically demanding position
• The Orioles successfully overturned both their ABS challenges and the Blue Jays were unsuccessful on both their ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 2-6 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays welcome the Phillies to town. The Phillies won the season series last year, outscoring the Blue Jays 32-20. Patrick Corbin starts against Phillies lefty Christopher Sanchez