Game #140 - Toronto Blue Jays (69-71) @ Cleveland Guardians (70-69) - game recap

Vladimir Guerrero had 5 RBI, including a 3-run HR and finished a triple shy pf the cycle in an 11-0 shutout win over the Guardians

After dropping yesterday's opening game against the Guardians thanks to nothing from the offense and the bullpen not throwing a shutout, the Blue Jays were looking to even the series and avoid their 20th series loss of the season. Ace Dylan Cease got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate.  The rest of the lineup was the same as last night. Could the Blue Jays even the series and avoid their 20th series loss of the season?  Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Vladimir Guerrero Jr.  doubled scoring Brett Bateman
• The Blue Jays added a pair of runs in the top of the 2nd on a fielder's choice hit by George Springer that scored Andres Gimenez and Myles Straw. Guardians SS Angel Genao was charged with a throwing error on the play
• A batter later, Guerrero Jr. hammered a 3-run bomb to left; also scoring Bateman and Springer
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 3rd as Straw doubled scoring Ernie Clement 
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 6th as Springer doubled scoring Straw
• A batter later, Guerrero Jr. singled scoring Bateman
• Joey Cantillo pitching line: 5.1IP 9H 9R (4 earned) 2BB 6K 102 pitches (66 for strikes)
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 6IP 4H 0R 0BB 4K 83 pitches (56 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 8th as Josh Smith belted a solo jack to right-center 
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 9th as Nathan Lukes singled scoring Sean Keys
• Final score: Blue Jays 11 Guardians 0 

My Take:

• Dylan Cease threw 6 shutout innings, scattering 4 hits, walking none and striking out 4. Maybe a bit of a surprise they pulled him with so few pitches thrown, especially a day after the bullpen day.i would have let Cease go one more inning - he still likely would have been under a hundred pitches and there would be more flexibility the remainder of the bullpen on terms of availability in the bullpen. 
• The bullpen threw 3 scoreless inningsb, giving up 2 hits, walking none and striking out five. Brendon Little and Paul Sewald retired every batter they faced. The best part about the score: Louis Varland, Mason Fluharty and Tyler Rogers will be fully rested for the big game tomorrow.
• The offense, led by Vlad (5RBI, including a 3-run HR and finished a triple shy of the cycle), Myles Straw (2 runs scored, RBI), George Springer (run scored RBI) and Josh Smith (solo HR). They even got to face a position player pitching in the 9th. Big night for Vlad, hopefully it's the start of a hot streak after a horrible season for a  player getting paid top dollar.
• The Guardians were 2-1 on ABS challenges and Alejandro Kirk successfully overturned the Blue Jays only ABS challenge
• The Blue Jays were 7-15 with runners in scoring position
• In terms of the wild card race, the Blue Jays are 1.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot. The Rangers and Orioles, who both lost today, are also 1.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot. The Twins (curreently tied in their game tonight) are 3 games back of the  3rd WC spot, but will be 2.5 games back if they win and 3.5 games back if they lose. Finally, the Mariners (won today) are 4.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot. 
• Up next: pretty simple, extend the win streak to 2 games, notch their 21st series win and 11th season series win, get within a half game of the Gurdiians for the 3rd WC spot and get that all important tiebreaker for winning the season series. Lose and the Guardians likely hold the tiebreaker for havng the better interdivision record. Jose Soriano starts against Guardians righty Tanner Bibee

Game #140 Toronto Blue Jays (68-71) @ Cleveland Guardians (70-68)

- Game #139 - Toronto Blue Jays (68-71) @ Cleveland Guardians (70-68) - game recap

 

Kazuma Okamoto scored the Blue Jays only run with some heads-up base runnings in a 6-1 come-from-behind loss to the Guardians

After an off-day/travel day yesterday, the Blue Jays hit the road for the second last time this season as they landed in Cleveland with a massive opportunity to snag the 3rd WC spot. The Blue Jays took the series in Toronto back at the end of April, outscoring the Guardians 15-13. Ricky Tiedemann and Sean Keys were recalled from AAA-ball as the September call-ups with the annual September roster expansion. Lefty Joe Mantiply was reinstated from the 60-day IL and utility man Josh Smith was reinstated from the 10-day IL. Daz Cameron was DFA'd. Simeon Woods Richardson cleared waivers and eleted free agency. Spencer Miles got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Ernie Clement was back in the lineup at 2B after the full day off Sunday.  Could the Blue Jays extend the winning streak to 4 games? Here is tonight's game recap

Game Highlights:

• Spencer Miles pitching line: 1IP 1H 0R 0BB 0K 16 pitches (12 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 5th on a wild pitch by ¹Gavin Williams that scored Kazuma Okamoto 
• The Guardians took the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Patrick Bailey hammered a 2-run bomb to dead center; also scoring Angel Martinez 
• The Guardians added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 7th as Angel Genoa hammered a 2-run bomb to left; also scoring Martinez
• Gavin Williams pitching line: 7IP 2H 1R (unearned) 1BB 13K 97 pitches (64 for strikes)
• The Guardians added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 8th as Martinez belted a 2-run jack to right-center; also scoring Petey Halpin 
• Final score: Guardians 6 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Stop me if you heard this one before: the Blue Jays had a bullpen game again today with Spencer Miles opening the game on the bump. It seems like every turn through the rotation has needed at least one bullpen game due to injury and performance (mostly injury). Miles has been a bulk pitcher and an opener in these scenarios and today, he got the ball first, giving up a hit in the 1 inning of work. The FO needs to address this in the  off-season and the Blue Jays should have a minimum of 6-7 pitchers built up to handle a starter's role.
• The rest of the bullpen gave up 6 runs on7 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3 over the last 7 innings. Spencer Arrighetti, Joe Mantiply and Michael Lorenzen all gave up 2-run HRs. The first one was back-breaking and demoralizing since the Blue Jays manufactured their only run in the top half of the 5th inning 
• Speaking of the offense, they were stymied by the Guardians pitching all night. They manufactured their only run only because Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey made a horrible decision to try and gun down Kazuma Okamoto on a pitch that was ball 4 and then Bailey was unable to corrall a nasty splitter for a wild pitch (and unearned run). Nobody reached base more than once
• Both catchers were 0-1 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 0-3 with runners in scoring position
• In terms of the WC race, the Blue Jays fell to 2.5 games back of the Guardians for the 3rd WC spot. The Orioles (losing in their game vs. the Rockies) are 1 game back of the 3rd WC spot for the moment, but will be 1.5 games back if the score holds and will be a half game back of the 3rd WC spot if they win. The Texas Rangers (ahead in their game vs. the A's) are 2 games back of the 3rd WC spot for the moment, but will be 1.5 games back if the score holds and will be 2.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot if they lose.  The Twins (won today) are 3.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot and the Mariners ((won today) are 5.5 games back of the 3rd WC. I am eliminating the Tigers, who are 7.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot, from the WC race updates because they have to much ground to make up and too many teams to overtake.
• Up next, The Blue Jays try to even the series and avoid their 20th series loss of the season/ Ace Dylan Cease starts against Guardians lefty Joey Cantillo

Game #139 Toronto Blue Jays (68-70) @ Cleveland Guardians (69-68)

Game #138 - Seattle Mariners (64-73) @ Toronto Blue Jays (68-70) - game recap

 

Max Scherzer threw 7 shutout innings in a 7-0 shutout win over the Mariners

After a huge comeback win yesterday capped off by an Alejandro Kirk RBI singled and aided by 7 strong innings from Jose Soriano, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 3 games, notch their 9th season series win and complete their second series sweep of the season. Max Scherzer got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Myles Straw was in LF, Brett Bateman was in CF and Nathan Lukes was in RF. Ernie Clenent got the full daty of with Andres Gimenez at SS and Charles McAdoo at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 3 games, notch their 9th season series win and complete their second series sweep of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Alejandro Kirk whacked a 2-run blast to left-center; also scoring Brett Bateman
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled scoring Myles Straw
• Logan Gilbert pitching line: 5IP 6H 3R (all earned) 1BB 4K 87 pitches (59 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 6th as Kazuma Okamoto hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• Max Scherzer pitching line: 7IP 1H 0R 1BB 10K 97 pitches (67 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 8th as Andres Gimenez doubled scoring George Springer and Nathan Lukes
• Three batters later, Bateman doubled scoring Okamoto
• Final score: Blue Jays 7 Mariners 0

My Take:

• Max Scherzer threw 7 shutout innings, giving up a hit, walking one and striking out 10, moving him past Gaylord Perry for 9th most career strikeouts in MLB history. For all the naysayers thinking Scherzer should hang them up, he still has a few bullets left in the legendary arm. This might have been Scherzer's best start in a Blue Jays uniform. He seems extremely motivated with the Blue Jays very much controlling their own destiny to snag the 3rd WC spot with series left against most of the teams they are battling for that one playoff spot. September is going to be a blast.
• The bullpen walked a batter and struck out 5 over the last 2 innings. Brayden Fisher retired every batter he faced.
• The offense today was led by Alejandro Kirk (2-run HR), Kazuma Okamoto (solo HR), Brett Bateman (RBI, run scored) and Andres Gimenez (2 RBI). It's nice to see the offense being spread around with better AB's lately. Vlad has 9 home games left to hit a HR at the Rogers Center
• Both teams were 0-1 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 4-10 with runners in scoring position.
• In terms of the WC race, the Blue Jays are 1.5 games back of the Guardians, who also won today for the 3rd WC spot. The Orioles (won today) are 1 game back of the 3rd WC spot. The Texas Rangers (won today) are 2 games back of the 3rd WC spot. The Twins (won today) are 4 games back of the 3rd WC spot. The Mariners are 5 games back of the 3rd WC spot and the  Tigers (lost today) are 5.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot
• Up next, after an off-day/travel day tomorrow, the Blue Jays open their second-last road trip in Cleveland with the chance to take over the 3rd WC spot. The Blue Jays took the series in Toronto, outscoring the Guardians 15-13. Spencer Arrighetti starts against Guardians righty Gavin Williams Tuesday