Game #59 - Toronto Blue Jays (29-30) @ Baltimore Orioles (27-32) - game recap

Kazuma Okamoto drove in a pair of runs in a losing effort as the Orioles came from behind to walk-off the Blue Jays 6-5

 

After eking out a win thanks to a pair of 2-run HR off the bats of Andres Gimenez and Charles McAdoo and a clutch 2-run double by Vlad, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 5 games and notch their 9th series win of the season. Austin Voth was DFA'd after yesterday's disastrous appearance and righty Hayden Juenger was added to the MLB roster. Trey Yesavage got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Nathan Lukes was in LF and Jesus Sanchez was in RF. Andres Gimenez was at SS and Ernie Clement got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 5 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 bottom of the 4th as Gunnar Henderson singled scoring Jeremiah Jackson
• The Blue Jays tied it in the top of the 5th as Jesus Sanchez doubled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 
• A batter later, Ernie Clement singled home Guerrero Jr.
• Trey Yesavage pitching line: 5IP 2H 1R (earned) 7BB 4K 92 pitches (48 for strikes)
• Brandon Young pitching line: 6.2IP 7H 2R (both earned) 1BB 7K 86 pitches (59 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a pair of runs in the top of the 8th as Kazuma Okamoto doubled scoring Nathan Lukes and Guerrero Jr 
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 9th as Gu-errero Jr. doubled scoring Lukes
• The Orioles got one back in the bottom of the 9th as Leody Taveras tripled scoring Coby Mayo
• A batter later, Jackson Holliday singled home Taveras
• Three batters later, Holliday was forced in on a bases loaded walk to Henderson
• A batter later, Colton Cowser was forced in on a bases loaded walk to Adley Rutschman
• A batter after that, Pete Alonso singled scoring Taylor Ward
• Final score: Orioles 6 Blue Jays 5

My Take:

• Trey Yesavage definitely didn't have his best stuff going for him, especially since he walked 7 batters on the day. He was able to make enough pitches to largely get of out jams unscathed and give the Blue Jays a much needed 5 innings with a bullpen game on tap tomorrow. Yesavage is likely still establishing a good rhythm after missing the first 6 weeks with injury.
• Oh boy did John Schneider ever overthink his choices to get the last 6 outs. First, he used closer Louis Varland to get the 3 outs in the 8th due to the perceived tougher part of the lineup that inning. Then he elected to bring in Jeff Hoffman in what had turned into a non-save situation because Vlad had a clutch hit to give the Blue Jays a 4-run cushion. Knowing Hoffman's issues in this scenarios, Schneider should have kept Connor Seobold throwing so the second Hoffman started showing signs of faltering, he could have been brought in with a 2 run lead to work with instead of the bases being loaded and facing a dangerous hitter in Adley Rutschman. How long will the Blue Jays keep trying to work with Hoffman? Austin Voth was DFA'd today after an equally ugly pitching line yesterday and he didn't blow a lead. Hoffman should have had the blown save attached to him today since the run was his responsibility. I don't care that he was out of the game. Seabold was put in an impossible situation by Hoffman that never should have happened.
• If there is a silver lining to this loss, Vlaf's bat is heating up and he's starting to drive the ball and come up with extra base hits. He's streaky like his father was but there's still time for him to develop into that dangerous power bat of Vladimir Guerrero Sr. Kazuma Okamoto continues to impress in his first year in North America with another clutch 2-RBI hit.
• Every Blue Jays starter except Andres Gimenez and Tyler Heineman had a hit. It's very likely Heineman will be out of a job once Alejandro Kirk returns from the fractured thumb in the coming weeks.
• Heineman was 1-2 in ABS challenges and Orioles 3B Coby Mayo was successful in the Orioles only ABS challenge
• The Blue Jays were 2-7 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to escape Baltimore with their 9th series win of the season. It will be a bullpen day with Spencer Miles either starting or following someone like Adam Macko. The Orioles will counter with righty Kyle Bradish

Game #59 Toronto Blue Jays (29-29) @ Baltimore Orioles (26-32)

 

Game #58 - Toronto Blue Jays (29-29) @ Baltimore Orioles (26-32) - game recap

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in a pair of runs and scored a run in a 6-5 comeback win over the Orioles

After eking out a win on a bases loaded walk, the Blue Jays were trying to extend the win streak to 4 games. Adam Macko got the start in a bullpen day with Dylan Cease on the IL with a hamstring strainand Brandon Valenzuela was behind the plate. Myles Straw was in LF and Yohendrick Pinago was in RF. Ernie Clement got the start at SS with Charles McAdoo at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 4 games?  Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

• Adam Macko pitching line: 1.2IP 3H 0R 0BB 1K 30 pitches (20 for strikes)
• The Orioles opened the scoring in the button of the 3rd on a bases loaded walk by Adley Rutschman that forced in Jackson Holiday
• Two batters later, Taylor Ward scored on a sac fly by Samuel Basallo
• The Orioles added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Holiday hammered a solo bomb to right
• The Orioles added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Pete Alonso whacked a solo blast to the opposite field in right-center
• A batter later, Basallo smacked a solo blast to the opposite field in left
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the top of the 7th as Kazuma Okamoto belted a 2-run jack to left also scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Two batters later, Charles McAdoo whacked a 2-run blast to the opposite field in right-center; also scoring Daulton Varsho
• Trevor Rogers pitching line: 6IP 6H 4R (all earned) 1BB 3K 84 pitches (61 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a pair or runs in the top of the 8th as Guerrero Jr. doubled scoring George Springer and Ernie Clement
• Brayden Fisher threw a perfect 9th for his 1st save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 6 Orioles 5

My Take:

• Adam Macko is reminding me a lot of Tim Mayza, who was an effective lefty and could be used in different situations. Ideally, you want Macko to come in as a reliever towards the middle of the game, but with the Blue Jays injury situation, they are going to have to resort to bullpen games at least another couple of weeks. The Blue Jays should have guys stretched out in the minor league system so they can be used as a traditional starter and eat up several innings. The brass in the minors should be monitoring things in the bigs and know when a pitcher might be headed to the IL and skip a starter for a potential call-up.
• At the other extreme is Austin Voth who was lit up for 5 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out none. Not sure the result would have been different if the Blue Jays had opted to use Voth as a traditional starter. Connor Seabold, Mason Fluharty and Fisher combined for 4 perfect innnings while striking out 2 to give the bats a chance to wake up. Fluharty was credited with the win and Fisher notched his first save of the season.
• After being stymied by Trevor Rogers for 6 innings, the Blue Jays finally got to him via a pair of 2-run HR, including a career first for Charles McAdoo. Vlad led the way offensively, driving in a pair and scoring once. Kazuma Okamoto extended his team lead in HR, going deep for the 12th time this season to put the Blue Jays on the board
• Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo was unsucceessful in the Orioles only ABS challenge and Valenzuela successfully overturned a ball call into s strike call in the Blue Jays lone ABS challenge
• The Blue Jays were 2-11 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 5 games and notch their 9th series win of the season. Trey Yesavage starts against Orioles righty Brandon Young 

Game #58 Toronto Blue Jays (28-29) @ Baltimore Orioles (26-31)

 

Game #57 - Toronto Blue Jays (28-29) @ Baltimore Orioles (26-31) - game recap

 

Patrick Corbin threw 5 solid innings in a 2-1 victory over the Orioles

After eking out a win yesterday thanks to Kazuma Okamoto going deep, the Blue Jays were looking extend the win streak to 3 games as they started a road trip in Baltimore against old friend Chris Bassitt. -The Blue Jays took the season series last year 7-6, but the Orioles outscored the Blue Jays 80-70. Lenyn Sosa was placed on the 10-day IL with a wrist contusion and Chase Lee was optioned to AAA-ball. Charles McAdoo had his contract selected to the MLB roster. Righty Lazio Estrada was transferred to the 60-Day IL. Patrick Corbin got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. Nathan Lukes got the start in LF. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 3 games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as Andres Gimenez belted a solo jack to right-center
• The Orioles tied it in the bottom of the 5th as Coby Mayo hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• Patrick Corbin pitching line: 5IP 4H 1R (earned) 1BB 4K 80 pitches (49 for strikes)
• Chris Bassitt pitching line: IP 4H 1R (earned) 1BB 2K 80 pitches (48 for strikes)\
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 8th on a bases loaded walk to Yohendrick Pinago that forced in George Springer
• Louis Varland got the last 4 outs for his 8th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 2 Orioles 1

My Take:

• It was a pretty even pitcher's duel to start this important series with both Chris Bassitt and Patrick Corbin allowing a run on 4 hits while walking 1. Bassitt went an extra inning. Corbin threw an extra strike (49 vs. 48 for Bassitt; both threw 80 pitches) and got double the number of strikeouts (4 for Corbin and 2 for Bassitt. Corbin continues to give the Blue Jays a chance to win mostly every night - a great pickup by Ross Atkins
• The bullpen held the Orioles to 4 hits while walking none and striking out 4 over the last 4 innings. Oh boy, here's hoping Tyler Rogers isn't down more than a day or 2 after taking a comebacker off the ankle. The Blue Jays practically have a full roster on the IL already and Yimi Garcia, Joe Mantiply (who now needs athroscopic surgery on his knee, and Tommy Nance aren't close to returning. Louis Varland and Jeff Hoffman will have more on their shoulders while Rogers is down. Jeff Hoffman was credited with the win.
• When the offence isn't going consistently, you need to find other ways to manufacture runs. Tonight, the Blue Jays won on a bases loaded walk in the 8th inning. Andres Gimenez also moved into a tie for 2nd on the team in home runs by going deep for the 6th time this season. Some of  the guys who were raking last season like Ernie Clement, Vlad, George Springer and Daulton Varsho need to get the bats going soon, the calendar turns to June on Monday.
• Neither of the catchers were successful on ABS challenges with Adley Rutschmann going 0-2 and Brandon Valenzuela 0-1. At least Valenzuela was able to come up with a massive pick off to end the 8th inning
• The Blue Jays were 0-6 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 4 games. Lefty Trevor Rogers starts for the Orioles tonight. The Blue Jays haven't decided who will make the spot start for Dylan Cease, who's on the IL with a hamstring issue. It'll likely be one of Austin Voth or Chad Dallas.  John Schneider indicated earlier this week the spot start will likely be handled as a traditional start as opposed to an opener followed by a bulk reliever. The Blue Jays have a chance to get back to .500 for the first time since April 3rd.