Game #121 - Boston Red Sox (64-55) @ Toronto Blue Jays (58-63) - game recap

 

Spencer Miles threw a scoreless 9th for his first career save in a  5-3 win over the Red Sox

After hanging on for the win thanks to a strong effort from the bullpen and a clutch base hit from the red hot Andres Gimenez, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the winning streak to 2 games. Jameson Taillon was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow tendonitis after pulling himself from the game yesterday and Chase Lee was recalled from AAA-ball. Dylan Cease got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Myles Straw was in LF. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• Tbe Red Sox opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd on a sac fly by Ceddanne Rafaela that scored Andruw Monasterio
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom half of the inning as Brett Bateman doubled scoring Nathan Lukes
• The Red Sox retook the lead in the top of the 4th as Willyer Abreu smacked a solo blast to right-center and into the Red Sox bullpen
• The Red Sox added a run in the top of the 5th as Rafaela hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly by Charles MacAdoo that scored Gimenez
• A batter later, Brett Bateman singled scoring Myles Straw
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 5IP 5H 3R (all earned) 4BB 7K 104 pitches (63 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays took the leadi in the bottom of the 6th on a fielder's choice hit by Ernie Clement that scored George Springer
• Pedro Sandoval pitching line: 6IP 8H 4R (2 earned 3BB 4K 84 pitches (50 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Straw doubled scoring Josh Smith
• Spencer Miles threw a scoreless 9th for his 1st save of the season.
• Final score: Blues Jays 5 Red Sox 3

My Take:

• Dylan Cease battled through 5 innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out 7.  Not the most efficient outing for Cease who needed 100 pitches to get 15 outs. The Blue Jays bullpen could have used an extra inning or two from him. Red Sox took him deep twice on a pair of solo home runs. He should get votes for the Cy Young award
• The bullpen threw 4 scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits, walking three and striking out 1. It looks like it'll be closer by committee when Louis Varland needs a day off. Tonight, Spencer Miles took care of business with a scoreless 9th for his first career save. Brendon Litlle was the only reliever to retire every batter he faccd
• Offensively, Brett Bateman drove in a pair of runs and Myles Straw had a huge clutch hit in the 8th inning to give Spencer Miles a 2-run cushion in the 9th inning
• The Red Sox were 2-1 on ABS challenges. Alejandro Kirk was unsuccessful in the Blue Jays only ABS challenge
• The Blue Jays were 3-7 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 3 games and notch their 15th series win of the season. Jose Soriano starts against Red Sox lefty Ranger Suarez

Game #121 Boston Red Sox (64-54) @ Toronto Blue Jays (57-63)

 

Game #120 - Boston Red Sox (64-54) @ Toronto Blue Jays (57-63) - game recap

 

Andres Gimenez drove in a run as the Bklue Jays hung on to edge the Red Sox 2-1

After dropping a hard fought game yesterday in Philadelphia due to the exhausted bullpen being unable to hold the lead in the 12th inning, the Blue Jays returned home to open a week long homestand that began against Boston tonight.  The Blue Jays have won 6 of the 9 games played in the season series thus far, outscoring the Red Sox 35-22. Lazaro Estrada and Davis Schneider were optioned to AAA-ball. Simeon Woods-Richardson and Charles McAdoo were recalled from AAA-ball. Rudy Martin Jr cleared waivers and catcher Willie MacIver was DFA'd. Jameson Taillon got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. George Springer was back in the lineup as DH after missing a couple of days with a sore left shoulder. Vlad was back in the field after a half day off yesterday. Kazuma Okamoto, who was in the original lineup, was removed with a left knee contusion from fouling a ball off his knee yesterday (Charles McAdoo got the start at the hot corner). Jesus Sanchez was in LF and Nathan Lukes was in RF. Ernie Clement got the full day off with Josh Smith at 2B. Could the Blue Jays start the home stand and week with a win and notch their 8th season series win of the season? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• Jameson Taillon pitching line: 4IP 1H 0R 3BB 3K 61 pitches (34 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 5th as Charles McAdoo whacked a solo blast to the oppoite field in right and into the Red Sox bullpen
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 6th as Andres Gimenez singled scoring George Springer
• The Red Sox got one back in the top of the 8th on a bizarre play where Anthony Siegler scored on a sac fly double play ball hit by Ceddanne Rafaela that ended the inning, but the run was allowed to score because the Blue Jays did not appeal that one of the runners left the base early 
• Louis Varland pitched a scoreless 9th for his 25th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 2 Red Sox 1

My Take:

• The way this season has gone on the injury front this year, it's almost no surprise that Jameson Taillon left tonight's start with right forearm tightness, which can be a precursor to the dreaded UCL. It's too bad because Taillon was dealing with 4 shutout innings, allowing 1 hit and walking 3 and striking out 3. No doubt he'll get an MRI to determine the damage.
• It will be the bullpen getting the brunt of the workload if Taillon misses even one start. Friday would be a potential bullpwn day witg SWR and Spencer Miles pitching in some capacity. Tonight, the bullpen gave up a run on 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 4 over the last 5 innings. Just 6 more days till the next off day
• Offensively, Charles McAdoo took full advantage of the unexpected start and took Sonny Gray deep the opposite way. The red-hot Andres Gimenez added an important insurance run in the 6th inning. McAdoo was the only player to reach base multiple times. The team can't keep asking the pitchers  to bail them out every night.
• The Red Sox successfully overturned all 4 ABS challenges and Brandon Valenzuela was 0-2 on ABS challrnges
• The Blue Jays were 2-9 with runners in scoring positon
• Up next, the Blue Jays go for 2 straight wins. Dylan Cease starts against Red Sox lefty Patrick Sandoval

Game #120 Boston Red Sox (64-53) @ Toronto Blue Jays (56-63)

 

Game #119 - Toronto Blue Jays (56-63) @ Philadelphia Phillies (63-56) - game recap

 

-Andres Gimenez drove in a pair of runs in a 7-6 extra innings, come-from-behind loss to the Phillies

After another extra innings triumph on the strength of a 2-run HR off the bat of Nathan Lukes, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 3 games, complete their 2nd sweep and notch their 8th season series win of the season. Shane Bieber got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Kazuma Okamoto at 1B. Davis Schneider was in LF and Myles Straw was in RF. Josh Smith was at the hot corner. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 3 games, complete their 2nd sweep and notch their 8th season series win of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Phillies opened the scoring in the bottom of the 3rd as Kyle Schwarber whacked a 3-run HR to the opposite field in left-center; also scoring Alec Bohm and Justin Crawford
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 4th as Alejandro Kirk singled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 5th as Brett Bateman singled scoring Myles Straw
• The Phillies added a run in the bottom half of the inning as Schwarber hammered a solo bomb to the second deck in right
• The Phillies added a run in the bottom of the 6th as Bohm singled scoring Bryson Stott
• Shane Bieber pitching line: 5.2IP 6H 5R (all earned) 3BB 4K 97 pitches (52 for strikes)
• Jesus Luzardo pitching line: 7IP 4H 2R (both earned) 1BB 12K 100 pitches (70 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one  back in the top of the 8th as Ernie Clement doubled scoring Alejandro Kirk
• A batter later, Andres Gimenez singled scoring Kazuma Okamoto and Clement
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 12th as Lukes scored on a double play ball hit by Jesus Sanchez 
• The Phillies tied it in the bottom half of the inning as Stott singled scoring Arraez
• Three batters later, Derek Hill singled home JT Realmuto
• Final score: Philies 7 Blue Jays 6 (12 innings)

My Take:

• Shane Bieber battled through 5.2 innings, giving up 5 runs on 6 hits while walking 3 and striking out 4. He retired 6 of the first 7 batters he faced before Kyle Schwarber took him deep for the first of two times on the day. Not his best start, but not his worst start either
• The bullpen gave up a pair of runs on4 hits while walking 8 and striking out 5 over the last 5.2 innings. Spencer Miles was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced.
• Offensively, Andres Gimenez came up with a clutch 2-run single to tie the game at 5, Brett Bateman knocked in a run for his first career RBI and Nathan Lukes gave the Blue Jays a brief lead in the 12th, scampering home on a double play ball a day after heroically going deep in extra innings.
• The Blue Jays were 6-2 on ABS challenges with Alejandro Kirk successfully overturning 4 balls into strikes for his pitchers. Bryce Harper was unsuccessful on the Phillies only ABS challenge of the day
• The Blue Jays were 5-15 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays return home to take on the Boston Red Sox. The Blue Jays have won 6 of the first 9 games of the season series, outscoring the Red Six 35-22. Jameson Taillon starts againstt Red Sox righty Sonny Gray.