Game #159 Houston Astros (100-58) @ Toronto Blue Jays (72-87) - game recap

John Gibbons managed his final game as a Blue Jay and his team gave him a 3-1 victory over the Astros

Here we are. The final home game of the 2018 season. The Blue Jays will finish one or two games below .500, depending on the outcome. Today, the Blue Jays announced that John Gibbons will not return as Blue Jays manager, perhaps the worst kept secret in all of baseball. He will be sorely missed by fans and all of us here at JITH. Sean Reid-Foley started his final game of the season. Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Randal Grichuk hit a two-run HR to left; also scoring Billy McKinney
• Chris Devenski pitching line: 2IP 1H 2R (both earned) 1BB 2K 28 pitches (19 for strikes)
• The Astros got one back in the top of the 4th as Carlos Correa singled home Jake Marisnick
• Sean Reid-Foley pitching line: 3.1IP 1H 1R (earned) 1BB 5K 49 pitches (28 for strikes) 
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Reese McGuire hit his first career HR to right-center
• Ken Giles pitched a perfect 9th for his 25th save of the season, 13th as a Blue Jay
• Final score: Blue Jays 3 Astros 1

My Take

• Sean Reid-Foley had a pretty solid game today, allowing one run on 1 hit and walked a batter. Reid-Foley as limited to 50 pitched toay in an effort to conserve his innings count. He can hold his head up high knowing he had a solid September that should, at the very least, earn him a long look at spring training next year
• Congrats to Reese McGuire who hit his first career HR in the 5th
• Congrats to Billy McKinney who stole his first career base in the the 1st. 
• Rowdy Tellez started at 1B and was batting 5th today. Tellez was 0-2 at the plate and drew  walk in the 4th. He was involved in 6 plays defensively
• Reese McGuire started at catcher and was batting 7th.. McGuire was 1-3 at the plate. Two Astros stole baserunners on him and he had a passed ball against him
• Richard Urena started at SS and batted 8th. Urena was 0-3 at the plate and involved in one play defensively
• Jon Berti played his 1st major league game, starting at 2B and batting 9th. Berti got his 1st career hit in the bottom of the 8th and finished the game 1-3 at the plate. Berti was involved in 2 plays defensively
• Up next, after an off-day tomorrow, the Blue Jays head to Tampa Bay for their final series of the season.
• Blue Jays lefty Thomas Pannone will take on Rays righty Tyler Glasnow