Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Game #101 Minnesota Twins (47-53) @ Toronto Blue Jays (46-55) - game recap

Twins catcher Mitch Garver was 4-6 with 5RBI and a pair of runs scored as the Twins doubled up on the Blue Jays 12-6

It is get away day for the Blue Jays and JA Happ. The Blue Jays embark on a 10 game road trip to Chicago, Oakland and Seattle, my first MLB game! Will JA Happ be on the flight to Chicago or will he be on a different flight with his new team? Sources say that a deal is close to trade Happ. Once Happ is traded, the Blue Jays will have a decision to make on who will replace Happ in the rotation, likely either a bullpen day or re-inserting Jaime Garcia in the rotation or calling up a minor leaguer like Reid-Foley. The make of the rotation will also largely depend on the health of Aaron Sanchez
and Marco Estrada. Regardless, the Blue Jays were looking to snap a 2 game losing streak and avoid being swept by the Minnesota Twins. Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights
  • The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st on a double by Kendrys Morales that scored Curtis Granderson
  • The Twins tied the game in the top of the 2nd as Mitch Garver singled home Jorge Polanco
  • A batter later, the Twins took the lead as Max Kepler scored on a Jake Cave fielder's choice
  • The next batter, Joe Mauer, hit a double scoring Cave
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 2nd on a sac fly by Aledmys Diaz that scored Randal Grichuk
  • The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the 5th as Morales hit a sac fly that scored Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
  •  Sam Gaviglio pitching line: 5IP 6H 3R (all earned) 3BB 4K 88 pitches (56 for strikes)
  • Ervin Santana pitching line: 5IP 7H 3R (all earned) 1BB 5K 97 pitches (60 for strikes)
  • The Twins took the lead in the top of the 6th on a Garver solo HR to left-center
  • The Twins added a run in the top of the 8th on a Garver single that scored Polanco
  • Two batters later, Mauer doubled home Kepler
  • The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom of the 8th as Luke Maile singled scoring Grichuk and Morales
  • A batter later, Teoscar Hernandez scored on a fielder's choice hit by Diaz
  • The Twins scored a run in the top of the 11th as Brian Dozier was forced in on a Kepler hit by pitch
  • The next batter, Garver hit a ground rule that scored Logan Morrison and Polanco
  • The next batter, Robbie Grossman doubled scoring Garver and Kepler
  • The next batter, Mauer singled home Grossman
  • Final score: Twins 12 Blue Jays 6
My Take
  • Sam Gaviglio had an okay outing today. He was roughed up to the tune of 3 runs on 3  hits and a walk. The third inning was Gaviglio's only inning where he faced the minimum, he walked a batter but induced a double play. With Happy likely gone by the weekend, Gaviglio will likely be a part of the reason for the remainder of the season.
  • The Blue Jays bullpen allowed 9 runs on 11 hits, 3 walks and a hit batter. They also got weaker as Seung Hwan Oh was traded to the Rockies just after the game ended. 
  • John Gibbons was ejected in the 11th inning for arguing balls and strikes. It will be interesting to see how many more times Gibbons is ejected once half the team has been traded away
  • Justin Smoak, Randal Grichuk, Kendrys Morales and Luke Maile were all 2-6 at the plate
  • Not only did the Blue Jays get swept by the Twins, but Minnesota passed them in the standings. They also took the season series.
  • Up next, the Blue Jays head out on a 10 game road trip, that will include my first MLB game, beginning in Chicago. Game one Friday sees Marcus Stroman taking on White Sox righty Reynaldo Lopez.