Game #80 - Houston Astros (39-43) @ Toronto Blue Jays (39-41) - game recap

 

Nathan Lukes hit a solo HR in a 3-1 loss to the Astros 

After dropping yesterday's rare Tuesday matinee due to the bullpen blowing up with Tyler Rogers blowing the save and Brayden Fisher taking the L after ex- Blue Jay Joey Loperfido hit a bomb off him, the Blue Jays were looking to notch their 11th series win of the season. Trey Yesavage got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Davis Schneider was in LF and Nathan Lukes was in RF. Could the Blue Jays notch their 11th series win of the season? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

• The Astros opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Isaac Paredes doubled scoring Jeremy Pena
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom half of the inning as Nathan Lukes whacked a solo blast just over the wall in right
• Trey Yesavage pitching line: 5.2IP 2H 1R (earned) 5BB 5K 105 pitches (61 for strikes)
• Mike Burrows pitching line: 6IP 2H 1R (earned) 1BB 3K 93 pitches (61 for strikes)
• The Astros retook the lead in the top of the 8th on a throwing error by Jeff Hoffman that scored Joey Loperfido
• The Astros added a run in the top of the 9th as Pena singled scoring Brice Matthews
• Josh Hader pitched a scoreless 9th for his 6th save of the season
• Final score: Astros 3 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Both starting pitchers had pretty similar pitching lines tonight with Trey Yesavage and Mike Burrows both giving up a run on 2 hits. Both threw 61 strikes as well. Burrows went a bit deeper in the game completing 6 inningd while Yesavage was an out shy of 6 complete innings. Yesavage's pitch count was higher since he walked 5 batters and also struck out 5 batters. The Blue Jays needed some length from Yesavage after a long game yesterday that went into the 11th inning.
• The bullpen gave up 2 runs on 2 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3 over the last 3.1 innings. Real unfortunate and terrible decision by Jeff Hoffman, who took the loss, and rightly so, after throwing the ball away on a pick-off attempt ... to 3rd base! There's a reason why pickoffs aren't attempted at 3rd base. First, they are not exactly practiced on a regular basis. Second, it was  highly unlikely Joey Loperfido was going to steal home in that situation. Mason Fluharty didn't have his best stuff going either, giving up an insurance run on a hit and 2 walks. Tommy Nance retired every batter he faced.
• Four total bases runners and one was a solo HR and facing the worst starting pitcher in the majors. Tonight, the Blue Jays made him look like Cy Young. They need to bring in Vlad Sr. to give his son a good pep talk. Maybe the hall of famer can even fix his swing. This $500 million contract is aging like vinegar and not a top quality vinegar.
• The Blue Jays were 1-2 on ABS challenges and Astros catcher Yainer Diaz was 1-1 on ABS challenges.
• Up next, a 4-game series against the Texas Rangers. The Blue Jays took the season series last year, outscoring the Rangers 28-20. Ace Kevin Gausman starts against Rangers lefty MacKenzie Gore.

Game #80 - Houston Astros (38-43) @ Toronto Blue Jays (39-40)

 

"Hello there! My name is....Dr. Death!!"

Last night was a bit of a kick in the pants to say the least.

The goal to reach .500 beckons to us yet again.

Hopefully the boys have put yesterday behind them we'll reach the promised land.

I also hope they don't leave a crap load of runners on base again.

And now onto a more serious matter...

As you most likely know, we here at JiTH Cares are concerned about the quality of life for our fellow posters.

In accordance with that philosophy we offer this special...

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT !!!!

As a service to fellow posters that are not tech savvy we offer this following update:

At the time of this game thread posting the score in the Houston Astros - Toronto Blue Jays game is:

0 - 0

Hang in there Joe. We got your back!!

- Game #79 - Houston Astros (38-43) @ Toronto Blue Jays (39-40) - game recap

 

Kazuma Okamoto drove in 3 runs and scored a run in a 9-7 extra innngs loss to the Astros

After prevailing to open the week versus the Texas teams on the strength of some productive outs in the form of three sac flies, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 3 games, notch their 11th series win of the season and get above .500 for the first time since April 4th, which came the day Alejandro Kirk went on the IL with a fractured thumb. It was a rare Tuesday matinee with a world cup game happening later on in the day. Shane Bieber came off the 60-day IL (and made the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate). Righty Lazaro Estrada was optioned to AAA-ball and righty Hayden Juenger was DFA'd. Jesus Sanchez was in LF and Myles Straw was in RF. The newly acquired Luis Urias got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 3 games, notch their 11th series win of the season and get above .500 for the first time since April 4th? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Astros opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Isaac Paredes singled scoring Jose Altuve
• The Astros added a run in the top of the 4th as Yandy Diaz smacked a solo blast to left and into the Astros bullpen
• A batter later, Cam Smith hammered a solo bomb to dead center 
• A batter after that, Taylor Trammell whacked a solo blast to right
• Shane Bieber pitching line: 3.2IP 9H 4R (all earned) 0BB 2K 75 pitches (50 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom half of the inning as Luis Urias belted a 2-run jack to left; also scoring Daulton Varsho
• Peter Lambert pitching line: 4.2IP 6H 2R (both earned) 3BB 6K 92 pitches (52 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 7th as Varsho hammered a 2-run bomb to the 2nd deck in right; also scoring Kazuma Okamoto
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 8th as Okamoto singled scoring George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• The Astros got one back in the top of the 9th on a catcher's interference call against Brandon Valenzuela that forced in Altuve
• A batter later, Yordan Alvarez scored on a sac fly by Smith
• The Astros took the lead in the top of the 11th as Joey Loperfido hammered a 3-run bomb to the second deck in right; also scoring Altuve and Alvarez
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as  Okamoto singled scoring Guerrero Jr.
• Final score: Astros 9 Blue Jays 7 (11 innings)

My Take:

• Shane Bieber battled through 3.2 innings, giving up 4 runs on 9 hits while walking none and striking out 4. There has to be concern about his fastball velocity being too close to that of his off-speed pitches. It's hard to get big league hitters out when they are seeing pitches roughly the same speed and not located well. Case in point, the back-to-back-to-back home runs he coughed up in the 4th inning. Clearly the Astros could see Bieber was not able to get his velo up and they weren't missing the mistakes. 
• he bullpen gave up 5 runs on 6 hits while walking 3 and striking out 8 over the last 7.1 innings. Tyler Rogers blew his 3rd save of the season and Brayden Fisher took the loss after ex-Blue Jay Joey Loperfido annihilated a pitch into the second deck for 3 runs. Mason Fluharty was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced.
• Offensively, Kazuma Okamoto (3RBI, run scored), Luis Urias (2-run HR) and Daulton Varsho (2-run HR) led the way. George Springer and Vlad went a combined 2-11 with a walk and 3 runs scored.
• Every Blue Jays starter except Brandon Valenzuela had a hit
• The Astros were 2-2 on ABS challenges and the Blue Jays were 1-1 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 3-14 with runners in scoring position\
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to get back to .500 and notch their 11th series win of the season. Trey Yesaavage starts against Astros righty Mike Burrows

Game #79 Houston Astros (37-43) @ Toronto Blue Jays (39-39)

C'mon....you remember him...don't you?

Back at .500...now let's get over the hump and start curb stomping some of these teams!

Also of note is that this is Bieber's first start so hopefully he doesn't get any of that yucky 2026 mojo on him.

Hopefully IAO has noticed the odd start time but of course he has duties and responsibilities to attend to!!

Duty bound IAO...Yes!!! He's really a cat!!

Game #78 - Houston Astros (37-43) @ Toronto Blue Jays (39-39) - game recap

 

Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo HR in a 4-2 comeback win over the Astros 

After a rain-out yesterday, the Blue Jays returned home to start a 10-game, 3-team homestand as they welcomed the Astros to town. The Astros won the season series last year, outscoring the Blue Jays 21-14. The Blue Jays aquired Luis Urias from the Diamondbacks and Yohendrick Pinago was optioned to AAA-ball to make room on the roster. Dylan Cease got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Jesus Sanchez was in LF. Ernie Clement got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Astros opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Isaac Paredes singled scoring Jeremy Pena
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 2nd as Kazuma Okamoto whacked a solo blast to left-center
• Hunter Brown pitching line: 3IP 4H 1R (earned) 2BB 4K 85 pitches (54 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 4th on a sac fly by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that scored Andres Gimenez
• The Astros tied it in the top of the 6th as Jose Altuve singled scoring Yordan Alvarez
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 5.2IP 3H 2R (both earned) 4BB 8K 110 pitches (67 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 7th on a sac fly by Myles Straw that scored Daulton Varsho
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 8th on a sac fly by Alejandro Kirk that scored George Springer
• Louis Varland pitched a scoreless 9th for his 16th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 4 Astros 2

My Take:

• Dylan Cease battled through 5.2 innings, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits while walking 4 and striking out 8. For a bit there it looked like a taxed bullpen would need to record at least 12-15 outs, but Cease was able to make enough pitches to almost make 18 outs or 6 innings. You have to wonder if the extra day of rest may have impacted Cease. Pitchers are very much creatures of habit and throwing off the routine by adding an extra day of rest doesn't necessarily mean that Cy Young will be on the mound. Also, pitchers usually need to figure out which pitches are working on a given day.
• The bullpen threw 3.1 scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits, walking 2 and striking out 1. Tyler Rogers got into a rare jam by allowing 2 hits and walking a batter, but he was able to pitch his way out of the inning. Brayden Fisher, who retired every batter he faced, was credited with the win. Loois Varland should be on the all-star tea. He's been magnificent all season.
• Offensively, the Blue Jays got three productive outs with Vlad, Myles Straw and Alejandro Kirk all hitting sac flies. Kazuma Okamoto with his 17th HR of the season, more than double the total of George Springer, who has gone deep 7 times this season. What's it going to take to get Vlad going? It might be a good idea to let him hit lower in the lineup and maybe have a batting threat like Okamoto hit in front of him.
• The Blue Jays lost their ABS challenges. The Astros were an impressive 5-1 on ABS challenges. As I mentioned at the beginning of the season, in games where the home plate umpire of the day has a bad reputation for ball-strike accuracy, you will see more ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 1-9 with runners in scoring position. The team is definitely missing Don Mattingly
• Up next, a rare matiness with the World Cup game scheduled in Toronto. The Blue Jays will be looking to extend the win streak to 3 games and get above .500 for the first time since April 4th and to notch their 11th series win of the season. Shane Bieber makes his season debut against Atros righty Peter Lambert