Game #40 - Minnesota Twins (24-16) @ Toronto Blue Jays (18-22) - game recap

 

Alek Manoah threw seven strong innings in a 5-1 loss to the Twins 

After pulling off a a huge comeback win yesterday to save Kevin Gausman, who was bad yesterday, the Blue Jays were going for their 2nd straight win and 5th series win of the season. Alek Manoah got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Sppringer was back in the lineup and in RF. Daniel Vogelbach served as DH. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins and 5 series wins? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Twins opened the scoring in the top of the 7th as Carlos Santana belted a 3-run jack to right-center; also scoring Max Kepler and Alex Kirillof
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly by Danny Jansen that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Bailey Ober pitching line: 6.1IP 1H 0R 0BB 10K 104 pitches (67 for strikes)
• Alek Manoah pitching line: 7IP 4H 3R (none earned) 1BB 6K 78 pitches (55 for strikes)
• The Twins added a pair of runs in the top of the 8th as Kepler doubled scoring Edouard Julien and Carlos Correa
• Final score: Twins 5 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Alek Manoah was excellent today, firing 7 strong innings, giving up 3 unearned runs on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6. Manoah's delivery was a lot more consistent and he had much better command of his pitches. Maybe this might be the turning point in his career and not a one-off good start 
• The bullpen gave up a pair of runs on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 3 over 2 innings. Erik Swanson was responsible for both runs, both hits and the walk. It has been a disastrous season for Swanson, who missed the first few weeks with an injury suffered in spring training. One has to wonder if he was rushed back too soon.
• The offense was almost non-existent today, after its biggest output of the season yesterday.. Through the first 6 innings, the Blue Jays had exactly one hit - a single by the red hot Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who later scored the Blue Jays only run on a sac fly by Danny Jansen
• The Blue Jays were 0-2 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays hit the road for a brief three-game series in Baltimore. The Orioles won 10 of 13 games in the season series last year, outscoring the Blue Jays 75-40. Ace Jose Berrios starts against Orioles righty Corbin Burnes.

Game #40 Minnesota Twins (23-16) @ Toronto Blue Jays (18-21)

 

Game #39 - Minnesota Twins (23-16) @ Toronto Blue Jays (18-21) - game recap

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 4-4 with a run scored and 3RBI in a 10-8 come-from-behind win over the Twins

After a heartbreaking loss yesterday, the Blue Jays were trying to even the series and avoid their 6th series loss of the season. Kevin Gausman got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. The rest of the lineup was the same as yesterday's loss. Could the Blue Jays even the series and avoid their 6th series loss of the season? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Twins opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Carlos Correa singled scoring Edouard Julien
• A batter later, Alex Kirilloff singled scoring Correa and Max Kepler. Davis Schneider was charged with a fielding error on the play
• The Twins added a run in the top of the 2nd as Trevor Larnach singled scoring Carlos Santana
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Bo Bichette hammered a solo bomb to keft-center
• The Twins added 3 runs in the top of the 3rd as Santana hammered a 3-run bomb to dead center; also scoring Correa and Willi Castro
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Daulton Varsho doubled scoring Davis Schneider
• A batter later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled home Varsho\
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 3IP 10H 7R (6 earned) 2BB 6K 86 pitches (54 for strikes)
• The Twins added a run in the top of the 4th as Ryan Jeffers drilled a solo jack to left-center
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 5th as Schneider whacked a solo blast to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen
• Four batters later, Danny Jansen smacked a 2-run blast to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen; also scoring Guerrero Jr.
• Simeon-Woods Richardson pitching line: 4.1IP 8H 5R (all earned) 1BB 2K 91 pitches (61 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays tied it up in the bottom of the 7th as Guerrero Jr. singled scoring Cavam Biggio and Schneider
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 7th as Ernie Clement singled scoring Danny Jansen
• A batter later, Jansen scored on a sac fly by Schneider
• Jordan Romano pitched a scoreless 9th for his 6th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 10 Twins 8

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman eas rocked tonight, giving up 7 runs (6 earned) on 10 hits while walking 2 and striking out 6. It was his worst start of the season and was bad timing with Alek Manoah slated to start tomorrow. The Blue Jays are about to enter their busiest stretch of baseball with just two off-days left in May and 13 straight days of games after the off-day Thursday. It is imperative that the Blue Jays find a couple of starters capble of pitching deep in games,\
• The bullpen was excellent tonight, giving up a run on three hits while walking none and striking out 6. Erik Swanson, Yimi Garcia and Trevor Richards retired every batter they faced
• The offence was the star of the game today with their largest output of the season, hitting double digits in runs for the first time this season
• Every starter except Justin Turner had at least one hit
• The Blue Jays were 5-9 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 5th series win of the season. Alek Manoah starts against Twins righty Bailey Oder

Game #39 Minnesota Twins (23-15) @ Toronto Blue Jays (17-21)

Game #38 - Minnesota Twins (23-15) @ Toronto Blue Jays (17-21) - game recap

 

Yusei Kikuchi threw 8 stellar innings in a 3-2 loss to the Twins

After an off-day/travel day yesterday, the Blue Jays opened an abbreviated one series weekend homestand against the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Jays and Twins split the season series last year with the Twins outscoring the Blue Jays 28-26. Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. George Springer got the complete day off with Cavan Biggio in RF. Daulton Varsho was in CF and Davis Schneider was in LF. Ernie Clement got the start at the hot corner and IKF was at 2B. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Twins opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Jose Miranda singled scoring Carlos Correa
• The Blue Jays tied it up in the bottom of the 3rd as Isiah Kiner-Falefa bashed a solo jack to left-center
• The Twins retook the lead in the top of the 5th as Carlos Santana smacked a solo blast just fair to the opposite field in right
• Joe Ryan pitching line: 7IP 6H 1R (earned) 0BB 7K 104 pitches (75 for strikes)
• Yusei Kikuchi pitching line: 8IP 4H 2R (both earned) 0BB 3K 97 pitches (68 for strikes)
• The Twins addded a run in the top of the 9th as Max Kepler singled home Correa
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Kiner-Falefa singled scoring Bo Bichette
• Griffin Jax got the last 3 outs for his 5th save of the season
• Final score: Twins 3 Blue Jays 2

My Take

•  Yusei Kikuchi was excellent tonight and may have had his best start in a Blue Jays uniform, firing 8 innings, allowing a pair of runs on 4 hits while walking none and striking out 3. After giving up a run on three straight hits in the 1st inning, Kikuchi retired 11 straight before giving up a leadoff homerun in the 5th and 23 of the next 24 batters he faced. He was stellar from the get go and could be an early candidate to rep the Blue Jays at the all-star game.
• The bullpen, on the otther hand gave up a costly insurance run in the 9th that was the difference in the game. It has been an achilles heel for the Blue Jays after being an asset for the last couple of seasons. Injuries to Erik Swanson, who hasn't looked good at all since returning from that injury, and Jordan Romano, who has also not been too sharp, but that could be from lack of consistent work. The lefties haven't consistently been able to get out left-handed batters. It will be interesting to see if Aaron Sanchez pans out. The Blue Jays are stretching him out to be a starter, but he has had bullpen success too.
• The offence continues to be anemic and lack the ability to strike at key times. Yes, they did get a run back in the 9th inning, but they could not tie it up. The top 5 hitters in the lineup were a combined 2-15. Vlad had a pair of hits and Davis Schneider drew a walk. The other Schneider, manager John Schneider needs to start setting his lineup based on who is hot and who is not. Players should be earning their playing time, not having it handed to them. For example, why not bat Vlad cleanup tomorrow since he now has hits in 10 of his last 11 games
• I don't foresee anyone getting fired until the next off-day Thursday. You want to give the new manager, likely to be an interim from within the organization, to have a fresh series to work with. Quite frankly, Ross Atkins needs to go first
• It would seem the 2-year renovation project had the unintended consequence of being to the Blue Jays' offence's disadvantage, but hey, fans have cup holders and more comfy seats. There is also still loonie dog day to offset the exorbitant price of food every other day.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the series and avoid their 6th series loss of the season. Kevin Gausman starts against Twins righty and ex-Blue Jays prospect Simeon Woods-Richardson