Game #76 - Toronto Blue Jays (37-39) @ Chicago Cubs (40-36) - game recap

 

George Springer drove in a pair of runs, including himself on a solo HR, in a 16-2 rout loss to the Cubs

After completing the sweep yesterday thanks to a phenomenol start by Trey Yesavage and a clutch base hit from Brandon Valenzuela, the Blue Jays continued the road trip at Wrigley Field. The Blue Jays took the season series last year, outscoring the Cubs 8-6. Lefty Brendon Little was recalled from AAA-ball and righty Chad Dallas was optioned to AAA-ball. Ace Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Davis Schneider got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 4 games? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Cubs opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Seiya Suzuki doubled scoring Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman
• Four batters later, Carson Kelly hammered a grand slam to left-center; also scoring Suzuki, Ian Happ and Matt Shaw
• Three batters later, Bregman singled scoring Dansby Swanson
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 2IP 7H 7R 4BB 3K 68 pitches (35 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 3rd as George Springer singled scoring Andres Gimenez
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 6th as Springer whacked a solo blast to left
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was removed from the game prior to the bottom half of the inning after hurting his back striking out swinging to end the top of the 6th.
• The Cubs added a run in the bottom half of the inning on a bases loaded walk to Kelly forced in Suzuki
• A batter later, a bases loaded walk to Swanson forced in Happ
• A batter after that, Crow-Armstrong singled scoring Nico Hoerner
• A batter later, Kelly scored on a fielder's choice hit by Bregman
• The Cubs added a  run in the bottom of the 7th as Kelly singled scoring Happ
• Two batters later, Justin Dean tripled scoring Shaw, Kelly and Swanson
• Final score: Cubs 16 Blue Jays 2

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman was lit up for 7 runs on 7 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3 over 2 innings. It was clear from the get-go that Gausman had absolutely nothing working on this day. Notoriously, the balls are difficult to work with in Chicago, but both teams are using the same balls. There's a good chance that the Blue Jays will attempt to move Gausman at the deadline if they are out of the playoff race in July since he is on an expiring contract. However, rough starts like this one won't help his trade value. He has certainly regressed in performance this season with age likely being a factor.
• The bullpen gave up 9 runs on 11 hits while walking 7 and striking out 1 over the last 6 innings. It might have been a mistake to recall Brendon Little, who coughed up 4 runs on 2 hits while walking 3 and strikinng out 1 over an inning. His ERA, already high upon his demotion, actually went up a couple of ticks to an even 27.00. Why was Tyler Rogers pitching in a blowout deficit? Why didn't Spencer Miler go a bit longer? It hasn't been that long since he was basically in the rotation and built up to be able to throw 80 pitches. It looks like Spencer Myles is the designated position player to pitch in blowouts. Tyler Heineman, traded to the Angels, filled the role previously
• The offense still can't get any consistency. After a good series in Boston, the bats were ice cold today with George Springer driving in both runs, including going deep in the 6th inning.
• The Blue Jays were 3-1 on ABS challenges and Cubs catcher Carson Kelly was 1-1 on ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 1-4 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the series and avoid their 12th series loss and 8th season series loss of the season. Patrick Corbin start against Cubs righty Colin Rea

Game Seventy-Six

Game #75 - Toronto Blue Jays (37-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-43) - game recap

After pulling out another win thanks to some nice work from the bullpen on yet another bullpen day with max Scherzer heading right back on the IL with a sore back and a nice offensive effort from Andres Gimenez, who factored in all three runs scored yesterday, scoring twice and driving in the other rub, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 3 games and complete their 2nd sweep of the season. Trey Yesavage got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. Yohendrick Pinago was in LF, Nathan Lukes was in CF and Jesus Sanchez was in RF. Could the Blue Jays make it three straight wins and complete their second sweep 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 Gurrero Jr hammered a solo bomb to dead center and over the green monster
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 2nd on s sac fly by Andres Gimenez that scored Kazuma Okamoto 
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 7th as Nathan Lukes whacked a solo blast to right- center and into the Red Sox bullpen
• The Red Sox got one back in the button half of the inning on a ground out hit by Willson Contreras that scored Ceddanne Rafaela
• Sonny Gray pitching line: 7IP 6H 3R (all earned) 1BB 4K 89 pitches (63 for strikes)
• The Red Sox got one back in the bottom of the 8th as Isiah Kiner-Falefa smacked a solo blast over the green monster in left
• A batter later, Caleb Durbin belted a solo jack over the green monster in left-center 
• Trey Yesavage pitching line: 7.1IP 4H 3R (all earned) 0BB 6K 95 pitches (66 for strikes)
• The Blue jays retook the lead in the top of the 9th as Brandon Valenzuela doubled scoring Ernie Clement 
• Mason Fluharty pitched a perfect 9th for his 1st save of the season 
• Final score: Blue Jays 4 Red Sox 3

My Take:

• Trey Yesavage was excellent today, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits while walking none and striking out 6 over 7.1 innings. He retired 21 of the first 23 batters he faced. Yesavage also reached a milestone, pitching into the 8th inning for the first time in his career. This deep effort was badly needed by a bullpen that has been asked to get all 27 outs once every 5 days and for a couple of weeks 2 times in 5 days. 
• The bullpen threw 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up 1 hit, walking none and striking out none. Tommy Nance was credited with the win and Mason Fluharty notched his first save of the season. 
• A rare thing happened today. Vlad went deep for just the 3rd time this season.  It's so perplexing why Vlad is having such difficulty getting airtime with his swings. He's got a pretty good mentor,; his father Vladimir Gurrero Sr. who went deep 449 times in his illustrious career. Evidently, he doesn't really communicate with the hitting coaches on the team. Perhaps Ross Atkins needs to look into that and revamp the hitting coaches in the off-season and maybe consider someone who might be able to work with Vlad. Brandon Valenzuela continues to impress, knocking in the game winning run with a clutch hit in the 9th inning. 
• The Blue Jays were 2-2 on ABS challenges. The Red Sox did not attempt an ABS challenge today
• The Blue Jays were 1-4 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays head to Wrigley field in Chicago. The Blue jays won the season series last year, outscoring the Cubs 8-6. Ace Kevin Gausman starts for the Blue Jays. The Cubs haven't set their rotation for the series yet. 

Game #75 Toronto Blue Jays (36-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-42)

 

Game #74 - Toronto Blue Jays (36-38) @ Boston Red Sox (29-40) - game recap

 

Andres Gimenez scored twice and drove in a run in a 3-0 shutout win over the Red Sox

After prevailing over the Red Sox yesterday thanks to the bats of Davis Schneider, Andres Gimenez and George Springer, the Blue Jays were lookiing to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch theur 10th series win of the season. Tyler Heineman was traded to the Angels for cash considerations. Max Scherzer was placed on the 15-day IL with a back issue. Chad Dallas was recalled from AAA-ball. Brayden Fisher 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 extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 10th series win of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• Brayden Fisher pitching line: 1.1IP0H 0R 2BB 0K 21 pitches (13 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as Andres Gimenez singled scoring Davis Schneider
• Two batters later, Gimenez scored on a ground out hit by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Jake Bennett pitching line: 5.1IP3H 2R (both earned) 0BB 5K 79 pitches (55 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 8th as Guerrero Jr. singled scoring Gimenez
• Louis Varland pitched a perfect 9th for his 14th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 3 Red Sox 0

My Take:

• Yet another bullpen game with Max Scherzer going right back on the IL with a bad back. Hopefully this is the last time an opener is used. The bullpen is already so overworked never mind having to get all 27 outs. Brayden Fisher got the last 4 outs and walked 2 batters
• The rest of the bullpen threw 8.2 shutout innings, giving up 7 hits, walking 5 and striking out 6. Simeon Wood Richardson, who pitched a third of the workload or 3 innings, was credited with the win. Louis Varland was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced.
• Andres Gimenez (2 runs scored, RBI) and Vlad (2RBI) drove the offence today. George Springer, Kazuma Okamoto, Alejandro Kirk and Ernie Clement were a combined 0-15, striking out combined 7 times.
• Red Sox catcher Mickey Gasper was successful on the only ABS challenge of the day
• The Blue Jays were 2-9 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays go for their 3rd straight win and try to complete ther 2nd sweep of the season. Trey Yesavage starts against Red Sox righty Sonny Gray