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.

Game #119 Toronto Blue Jays (56-62) v. Philadelphia Phillies (62-56)

 

Game #118 - Toronto Blue Jays (56-62) @ Philadelphia Phillies (62-56) - game recap

 

Nathan Lukes hit a go-ahead 2- run HR in the iith inning of a 7-5 extra innings comback win over the Phillies

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After hanging on for a huge win on the strength of two sac flies by Alejandro Kirk and a solo home run off the bat of Josh Smith, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 16th series win of the season. Max Scherzer got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. Vlad was back in the lineup after missing a few games with a sore hamstring. George Springer was a late scratch due to a sore left shoulder so Jesus Sanchez served as DH and Myles Straw was in LF. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins and notch their 16th series win of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. whacked a solo blast to left
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 3rd as Guerrero Jr. singled scoring Myles Straw
• Aaron Nola pitching line: 5IP 6H 2R (both earned) 2BB 6K 97 pitches (57 for strikes)
• The Phillies got one back in the bottom of the 6th as Trea Turner whacked a solo blast to left-center
• A batter later, Bryce Harper belted a solo jack to right-center
• Three batters later, Luis Arraez scored on a sac fly by Brandon Marsh 
• A batter later, Justin Crawford tripled scoring Bryson Stott
• Max Scherzer pitching line: 5.1IP 5H 2R (both earned) 0BB 4K 84 pitches (58 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays tied it in the top of the 8th as Andres Gimenez doubled scoring Guerrero Jr. and George Springer
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 10th on a sac fly by Gimenez that scored Brett Bateman
• The Phillies tied it in the bottom half of the inning on a asac fly by Arraez that scored Turner
• The Blue Jays retook the lead in the top of the 11th as Nathan Lukes smashed a 2-run blast to right-center; also scoring Brandon Valenzuela
• Lazaro Estrada threw a perfect 9th for his 1st save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 7 Phillies 5 (11 innings)

My Take:

• Max Scherzer fired 5.1 solid innings, giving up a pair of runs on 5 hits while walking none and striking out 5. He is now in the top 10 in career strikeouts after he struck out Kyle Schwarber in the 6th inning. He is showing he still has a bit left in the tank. If my math is correct, he is 1.1 innings from pitching 3000 career innings. Barring injury or a disastrous start, he'll reach that milestone next start against Boston on Thursday.
• The bullpen gave up 3 runs on 4 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3 over the last 5.2 innings. Spencer Miles, who has been a better reliever than starter this season, had a rare bad night coming out of the bullpen, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits before he could get out of the 6th inning. Louis Varland got the win. Lazaro Estrada was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced
• Offensively, Vlad (2 runs scored, 2RBI, including a solo HR), Andres Gimenez (3RBI) and Nathan Lukes (11th inning go-ahead 2-run HR) led the way. It was great to see Vlad finally come through at the plate. Love him or detest that contract of his, Guerrero Jr. will be a key cog in the lineup for the next decade.
• Lots of ABS challenges in this one. The Blue Jays were 5-1 on ABS challenges and the Phillies were 4-1 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 4-14 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 notch their 8th season series sweep of the season. Shane Bieber starts against Phillies lefty Jesus Luzardo