Game #96 Baltimore Orioles (28-70) @ Toronto Blue Jays (44-52) - game recap

Aledmys Diaz hit a walk-off single as the Blue Jays defeated the Orioles 8-7 in extra innings

Blue Jays baseball is back! After a successful all-star game where JA Happ notched his first career save, the Blue Jays get back to work and begin the final stretch of the season. This series will be missing a big bat as Manny Machado was traded to the LA Dodgers Wednesday for a series of prospects. Closer Zach Britton could also be traded at any time. Happ is slated to make what will likely be his final start in a Blue Jays uniform on Sunday. The Blue Jays also began life without Kevin Pillar who will be out up to 6 weeks with an SC joint injury. Could the Pillar-less Blue Jays prevail over the Machado-less Orioles. Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 3rd on an Aledmys Diaz home to left-center 
• The Orioles tied it in the top of the 5th on a Tim Beckham solo HR to straightaway center 
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a Russell Martin R to left-center
• The next batter, Randal Grichuk homered to center
• 4 batters later, Devon Travis scored on a Toescar Hernandez sac fly 
• The next batter, Justin Smoak doubled home Curtis Granderson
• Dylan Bundy pitching line: 5IP 5H 5R (all earned) 1BB 3K 79 pitches (53 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added to the lead in the bottom of the 7th on a Travis triple that scored Diaz
• The next batter, Granderson singled home Travis
• The Orioles got a pair back on a 2 run HR by Chris Davis also scoring Adam Jones
• Sam Gaviglio pitching line: 7.2IP 7H 4R (all earned) 1BB 8K 103 pitches (71 for strikes)
• The Orioles got one back in the top of the 9th as Trey Mancini scored on a wild pitch by Tyler Clippard
• Two batters later, Caleb Joseph homered to get the Orioles within 1
• Two batters later, the game was tied as Jonathon Schoop homered to left
• Diaz hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 10th inning scoring Martin
• Final score: Blue Jays 8 Orioles 7

My Take

• Sam Gaviglio was excellent tonight, pitching 7.2 strong innings. Gaviglio scattered 7 hits throughout the game and had perfect innings in the 1st, 2nd and 7th. He retired the first 6 batters he faced. Gaviglio has definitely earned himself another start if one or both of Marco Estrada and Aaron Sanchez are not ready to return from injury.
• Tyler Clippard blew the save tonight, allowing 3 runs on a wild pitch and 2 home runs. Clippard should not be closing for the Blue Jays. Tyler Clippard has now blown 6 saves in 12 save opportunities. Expect Ryan Tepera to get the next save opportunity 
• Aledmys Diaz was excellent tonight, going 4-5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored
• Russell Martin also did well at the plate with a pair of hits and a pair of runs scored
• Up next, the Blue Jays look for their second straight win as Marcus Stroman pitches against Alex Cobb.