Game #58 Toronto Blue Jays (21-37) @ Colorado Rockies (30-27) - game recap

Marcus Stroman threw seven strong innings in a losing effort as the Rockies doubled up on the Blue Jays 4-2

After a rough game where Edwin Jackson got shellacked at Coors field for the upteenth time, the Blue Jays turned to ace Marcus Stroman, who has been better than his record would suggest due to lack of run support.. Pretty much the same lineup as last night, except Justin Smoak was at first base and Danny Jansen was back behind the plate. Could the Blue Jays even the series? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Rockies opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Nolan Arenado singled home Trevor Story 
• A batter later, Daniel Murphy doubled home David Dahl and Arenado
• The Rockies added a run in the bottom of the 5th on an inside the park home run by Ramiel Tapia, who was credited with a double. The Blue Jays were charged with two errors on the play. Jonathan Davis flubbed the fielding of the hit, and Cavan Biggio threw the ball away and the umpires allowed Tapia to score.
• Marcus Stroman pitching line: 7IP 7H 4R (3 earned) 0BB 3K 93 pitches (63 for strikes)
• Jon Gray pitching line: 6.2IP 2H 0R 3BB 7K 87 pitches (53 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays broke the shutout bid in the 9th as Justin Smoak smoked a solo bomb to dead center
• Four batters later, Danny Jansen doubled home Biggio
• Scott Oberg got the last out for his second save of the season
• Final score: Rockies 4 Blue Jays 2

My Take:

• After a less than stellar start where Marcus Stroman gave up three runs on four hits in the first inning, the Blue Jays ace settled down and scattered 4 hits over the next 6 innings. The only other run he allowed was in part to a comedy of errors that saw a fielding error and a throwing error on the same play. Once again, Stroman got no run support and took the loss instead. He was 0-2 at the plate with a pair of strikeouts.
• The offence was nonexistent again. The Blue Jays had runners on 2nd ad 3rd with one out in the 2nd after a double steal and could not get a run. At one point, 13 Blue Jays in a row were out. The lone runs came in garbage time in the 9th off a solo blast by Smoak and a double by Jansen, who never should have come to the plate except Trevor Story made a bad throw on what should have been the final out of the game.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to avoid being swept in this series and for the road trip. Righty Aaron Sanchez returns to the mound after leaving his last start early with more blister problems. The Rockies will counter with righty Antonio Senzatela