Game #24 - Toronto Blue Jays (10-14) @ LA Angels (12-14) - game recap

 

Nathan Lukes drove in a run and scored a run in a 7-3 loss to the Angels

After hanging on by the skin of their teeth for a dicey 9th inning save by Louis Varland, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 4 games and complete their 2nd series sweep of the season. Eric Lauer got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Lenyn Sosa at 1B. Nathan Lukes was in LF and Jesus Sanchez was in RF. Andres Gimenez was at SS and Ernie Clement was at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 4 games and complete their second sweep of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Angels opened the scoring in the bottom of the 3rd on a sac fly by Jo Adell that scored Jordan O'Hoppe
• The Angels added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Nolan Schaunel whacked a solo blast to right-center
• The Angels added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Mike Trout belted a solo jack to left and into the Angels bullpen
• Jose Soriano pitching line: 5IP 7H 0R 0BB 4K 84 pitches (57 for strikes)
• Eric Lauer pitching line: 5IP 7H 3R (all earned) 2BB 3K 79 pitches (51 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 7th on a ground out hit by Tyler Heineman that scored Kazuma Okamoto
• A batter later, Nathan Lukes doubled scoring Andres Gimenez
• A batter after that, Ernie Clement singled home Lukes
• The Angels tied it up in the bottom half of the inning as Schaunel doubled scoring Trout, Adell and Yoan Moncada
• A batter later, Vaughn Grissom singled home Schaunel
• Final score:Angels 7 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Eric Lauer battled through 5 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3. Lauer got what he desired with being used as a traditonal starter after he complained about being used as a bulk pitcher last game. To be fair to Lauer, there is definitely a different routine for a starting pitcher, who generally takes longer to warm up, and a reliever, who can enter a game at the start of an inning or in the middle of an inning with the team in a jam. Dennis Eckersley is a rare pitcher who was excellent as a starter and a reliever. Lauer was clearly battling through something as evidenced by a noticeable drop in velocity and the very visible tape on his neck. At this point, Lauer may be heading for the IL once Trey Yesavage returns if he is still ailing.
• After the offense got Lauer off the hook in the top half of the inning, Tommy Nance and Brayden Fisher imploded for 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in the bottom half of the inning. On a day where the bullpen was thin with several relievers down or not likely to be able to go longer than an inning, the lower leverahe relievers got the task of keeping the score close. None of the relievers retired every batter faced.
• Don't look now, but Nathan Lukes, who has gotten plenty of criticism for a poor start to the season, is red hot with hits in five of the last 6 games, including 2 more today. Vlad, who will play his 1000th career game Friday, saw his 12 game hit streak come to an end with an 0-4 effort today.
• Every Blue Jays starter had at least one hit
• The Angels were 2-1 on ABS challenges with catcher Logan O'Hoppe had 2 balls overturned to strikes and Nolan Schaunel was incorrect in his ABS challenge with a strike confirmed. The Blue Jays were 1-2 in ABS challenges with catcher Tyler Heineman going 1-1 and Andres Gimenez being incorrect in his challenge.
• The Blue Jays were 2-7 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays return home for a week-long homestand starting with the Cleveland Guardians. Max Scherzer starts against Guardians righty Gavin Williams

Game #24 - Toronto Blue Jays (10-13) @ Los Angeles Angels (11-14)

 

Game #23 - Toronto Blue Jays (9-13) @ Los Angeles Angels (11-13)

 

Game #22 - Toronto Blue Jays (8-13) @ Los Angeles Angels (11-12)

 

Game #21- Toronto Blue Jays (8-13) @ Arizona Diamondbacks (13-9) - game recap

 

Nathan Lukes drove in 3 runs and scored a run in a 10-4 victory over the Diamondacks

After another loss due to Jeff Hoffman giving up a grand slam, the Blue Jays were looking to snap the 4-game skid and avoid being swept for the 2nd time (first in a season series). Ace Kevin Gausman got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. The rest of the lineup was the same as yesterday's loss. Could the Blue Jays snap the 4-game skid and avoid being swept for the 2nd time (first in a season series)? Here is today's game recap

Game Highlights:

• The Blue jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled scoring Nathan Lukes and Ernie Clement
• Two batters later, Eloy Jimenez singled scoring Guerrero Jr
• Two batters later Kazuma Okamoto doubled scoring Jesus Sanchez and Jimenez
• Three batters later, Lukes doubled home Andres Gimenez, Okamoto and Myles Straw 
• Ryne Nelson pitching line 0.1IP 8H 8R (all earned) 1BB 1K 30 pitches (19 for strikes)
• The Diamondbacks got one back in the bottom of the 2nd as James McCann singled scoring Adrian Del Castillo
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 3rd as Okamoto whacked a solo blast to left-center
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 4th on a sac fly by Gimenez that scored Guerrero Jr.
• The Diamondbacks got one back in the button of the 6th as Del Castillo doubled scoring Lourdes Gurriel Jr 
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 6IP 7H 2R (both earned) 1BB 4K 86 pitches (54 for strikes)
• The Diamondbacks got a pair back in the bottom of the 7th as Jorge Barrosa smacked a 2-run blast to left and into the Diamondbacks bullpen; also scoring Ketel Marte
• Final score: Blue Jays 10 Diamondbacks 4

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman fired 6 solid innings giving up a pair of runs on 7 his while walking 1 and striking 4. For once, Gausman didn't have to be cy young today. He retired 5 in a row at one point and made the pitches he had to to escape the jams he got into. It must have been nice to be able to work with a sizable lead knowing a mistake pitch wouldn't be catastrophic.
• The bullpen gave up a pair of runs on 3 hits (both runs were charged to Mason Fluharty who was taken deep by Jorge Barrosa) while walking none and striking out 1 over the last 3 innings. Tommy Nance retired every batter he faced.
• Offensively, the bats exploded in the 1st inning like a shaken pop bottle, scoring 8 times, including a bases clearing double from Nathan Lukes, who has received a lot of criticism for early season struggles from fans. Lukes got 2 hits in the inning and Dbacks starters Ryne Nelson until the 9th batter of the inning and Lukes knocked him out of the game with the double a batter later. Vlad and Kazuma Okamoto, who later went deep, knocked in 2 runs each in that 1st inning. The trick will be replicating that result tomorrow in LA.
• Every Blue Jays starter reached base at least once, all but Myles Straw had a hit and all but Brandon Valenzuela either scored a run or drove in a run.
• The Dbacks, and in particular catcher James McCann, were a perfect 2-2 in overturning ABS challenges. The Blue Jays were 0-2 with a ball confirmed on a challenge by catcher Brandon Valenzuela and a strike confirmed on a challenge by Myles Straw
• The Blue Jays were 5-13 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays head to LA to take on the Angels in the last stop of the road trip. The Blue Jays took the season series last year with both teams scoring 26 runs. Dylan Cease starts against Angels lefty Reid Detmers