Game #49 San Diego Padres (27-20) v. Toronto Blue Jays (24-24)

 

-Game #48 San Diego Padres (27-20) @ Toronto Blue Jays (24-24) - game recap

 

Daulton Varsho hit a grand slam in a 14-0 shutout win over the Padres

After a shutout win over the Padres on the strength of home runs off the bats of Vladdy and Anthony Santander, the Blue Jays were going for their 2nd straight win, to get back to .500 and to notch their 6th series win of the season. Kevin Gausman 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 make it 2 straight wins, notch their 6th series win of the season and get back to .500? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 5th as Nathan Lukes drilled a 2-run blast to right; also scoring Ernie Clement
• Randy Vasquez pitching line: 4.2IP 4H 2R (both earned) 0BB 4K 73 pitches (46 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 7th on a fielder's choice hit by Bo Bichette that scored Addison Barger. Lukes was out at 2B on the play
• A batter later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled home Clement
• Two batters later, George Springer singled scoring Bichette. Padres 3B. Manny Machado was charged with a throwing error on the play
• Two batters later, Jonatan Clase doubled scoring Guerrero Jr. and Springer
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 7IP 3H 0R 0BB 9K 92 pitches (64 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Bichette singled home Clement
• Two batters later, Daulton Varsho hammered a grand slam to dead center; also scoring Bichette, Lukes and Michael Stefanic
• Four batters later, Barger doubled scoring Springer
• A batter later, Clement singled home Clase
• Final score: Blue Jays Padres 0

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman fired 7 shutout innings, scattering 3 hits, walking none and striking out 9. He had out streaks of 7 and 9 batters and retired the last 4 batters he faced. The most important stat of this start was the 7 innings pitched. The starting pitchers have not been pitching past 6 innings and the Blue Jays have been having a bullpen day once a week. I might have even ran Gausman out one more inning, but then again, the Blue Jays offence had a long inning in the 7th inning
• Jose Urena pitched the final 2 inings, allowing 2 hits, walking none and striking out 1. It looks like he will have a multiple inning role in the bullpen and could be the opener on bullpen days.
• The offence exploded for a season-high 14 runs, all scored in the latter half of the game. In fact, in the first 4 innings, the Blue Jays managed 2 base runners (a single by Nathan Lukes in the 3rd inning and George Springer was hit by a pitch an inning later). The whole team contributed to the onslaught with every starter but Alejandro Kirk getting a hit and all but Kirk and Anthony Santander either scoring a run or driving in a run
• The Blue Jays were 7-15 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 3 games, complete their 2nd sweep of the season and to get above .500 for the first time since April 21. Bowden Francis starts against Padres righty Stephen Kolek

Game #48 San Diego Padres (27-19) v. Toronto Blue Jays (23-24)

 

Game #47 San Diego Padres (27-19) @ Toronto Blue Jays (23-24) - game recap

 

Chris Bassitt threw 6 shutout innings in a 3-0 shutout win over the Padres

After an off-day yesterday, the Blue Jays opened up a 3-game set against the Padres. The Blue Jays won the season series last year, outscoring the Padres 13-9. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Nathan Lukes was in LF and George Springer was in RF. The rest of the lineup was the same as Sunday's loss. Could the Blue Jays start the week with a win? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. whacked a solo blast to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen
• The Blue Jays added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 5th as Anthony Santander smacked a 2-run blast to right; also scoring Alejandro Kirk 
• Chris Bassitt pitching line: 6IP 4H 0R 1BB 6K 100 pitches (64 for strikes)
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 7IP 3H 3R (all earned) 1BB 6K 100 pitches (61 for strikes)
• Jeff Hoffman pitched a perfect 9th for his 10th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 3 Padres 0

My Take:

• Chris Bassitt threw 6 shutout innings, scattering 4 hits, walking 1 and striking out 6. The Padres are one of the better hitting teams in the league so it was nice to see him handle the lineup so well. At one point, he moved Ernie Clement over and the ball went right to him for an easy out. In the 1st inning, he struck out both Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill after giving up a double to Luis Arraez, who flirted with a .400 average a couple of years ago. Bassitt had an out streak of 7 outs in a row.
• The bullpen allowed just one hit while walking none and striking out 2 over the last 3 innings. Yariel Rodriguez and Jeff Hoffman both retired every batter they faced
• The Blue Jays got home runs from Vlad and Anthony Santander and that was the difference in the game
• The Blue Jays were 0-1 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try for 2 straight wins, to get back to a .500 record and to notch their 6th series win of the season. Kevin Gausman starts against Padres righty Randy Vasquez

Game #47 San Diego Padres (27-18) v. Toronto Blue Jays (22-24)