Game #65 Baltimore Orioles (19-45) @ Toronto Blue Jays (30-35) - game recap

Curtis Granderson was 4-5 at the plate with 6RBI and 2 runs scored as the Blue Jays routed the Orioles 13-3 and swept the 4 game series and finished the home stand 4-2

The Blue Jays were looking to do something they haven't done since April 17-18 vs. the KC Royals: sweep a series. A win today would give the Blue Jays some momentum heading into a three game series in Tampa Bay. So many good things have happened this week. The bats have gotten hot again, the pitchers have all had at least one solid start where they pitched into the 6th inning, and they've won three games in extra innings. Here is today's game recap.

Game highlights

• The Orioles opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Trey Mancini hit a solo HR to center field
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the second as Curtis Granderson doubled to score Randal Grichuk and Gio Urshela
• Kendrys Morales extended the lead to 2 with an opposite field home run in the bottom of the 3rd
• The Blue Jays added 3 more in the bottom of the 4th as Curtis Granderson hit a 3 run HR to right scoring Grichuk and Urshela
• Four batters later, Kevin Pillar singled to score Yangervis Solarte and Teoscar Hernandez
• Two batters later Grichuk singled home Pillar
• Alex Cobb pitching line: 3.2IP 11H 9R (all earned) 1BB 5K 83 pitches (54 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added one more in the bottom of the 5th as Granderson doubled home Urshela
• The next batter Hernandez homered to left-center also scoring Granderson
• Two batters later Kevin Pillar hit a solo HR to center
• The Orioles got one back in the top of the 7th as Jonathan Schoop hit a solo HR to left
• Marco Estrada pitching line: 6IP 3H 2R (both earned) 1BB 9K 97 pitches (72 for strikes)
• Five batters later, Chris Davis scored on a fielder's choice by Jace Peterson
• Final score: Blue Jays 13 Orioles 3

My take

• The Blue Jays got another solid start from Marco Estrada, who threw 6 solid innings today. Like Aaron Sanchez yesterday, Estrada got stronger as the game went on. He had trouble locating his cutter at the beginning of the game but found the release point.
• What a great offensive output by the Blue Jays today. They scored 13 runs on 19 hits and every Blue Jay got on base at least once and everyone but Russell Martin had a hit. Hernandez, Grichuk and Granderson will make it difficult for Steve Pearce to find playing time when he is ready to return.
• The difference in talent between the Blue Jays and Orioles is large. Baltimore really doesn't appear to have many viable pitching options in their rotation or the bullpen. Toronto lit up the bullpen in all 4 games and got to Alex Cobb early and often this afternoon. Offensively, the main threat you have to worry about in the Baltimore lineup is Manny Machado. The Blue Jays did a great job handling him, limiting the Orioles likely all-star to 2 hits in the series. Chris Davis has been a shadow of himself this season. He struck out 5 times in the series and had just an infield single today. The loss gives the Orioles 45 losses and they are currently dead last in the MLB.
• Up next, the Blue Jays head to St. Petersburg where they will take on the Tampa Bay Rays in a 3 game series beginning tomorrow. The Blue Jays are a half game ahead of the Rays for third place in the AL East. Jays righty Sam Gaviglio will pitch against Rays reliever/starter Ryne Stanek. Tampa Bay has been using a strategy of starting a relief pitcher to start the game and a long man in the middle innings. The Rays have three starting pitchers currently on the DL and no true fifth starter.