Saturday, July 20, 2019

Game #100 Toronto Blue Jays (38-62) @ Detroit Tigers (29-65) - game recap

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his first career grand slam as the Blue Jays came from behind in a rain-delayed game to defeat the Tigers 7-5

After a 12-1 trouncing over the Tigers last night and Marcus Stroman increasing his lofty trade value with a strong 5 hit-7 shutout innings start, the Blue Jays faced former teammate Daniel Norris for the third time, first with Norris starting. Rookie Trent Thornton was looking to avenge a poor start vs. the Red Sox Monday when he was lit up for 5 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks over an inning and a third. He did not strike out a batter. Brandon Drury played his 4th career game, 3rd as a starter, at 1st base. He became the 5th Blue Jay to play at least one inning at 1st base (Justin Smoak, Cavan Biggio, Billy McKinney and Rowdy Tellez have also played games at 1st base this season). Could the Blue Jays make it two wins in a row? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlight
  • The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Eric Sogard scored on a groundout by Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
  • The Tigers tied things up in the bottom of the 2nd as Brandon Dixon singled home Nicholas Castellanos
  • A batter later, Niko Goodrum whacked a 2-run opposite-field blast into the bullpen in left also scoring Dixon
  • Trent Thornton pitching line: 3IP 4H (all earned) 1BB 3K 51 pitches (35 for strikes)
  • The Tigers added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 4th as John Hicks whacked an opposite field 2-run shot to left also scoring Jeimer Candelario
  • Daniel Norris pitching line: 4IP 5H 1R (earned) 1BB 3K 58 pitches (40 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the 5th as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed his first career grand slam over the wall in left-center also scoring Gurriel Jr., Randal Grichuk and Freddy Galvis
  • The Blue Jays added 2 more runs in the top of the 6th as Brandon Drury smashed a 2-run blast to left center, also scoring Teoscar Hernandez
  • Ken Giles pitched a scoreless 9th for his 14th save of the season.
  • Blue Jays 7 Tigers 5
My Take:
  • Both teams opted to pull their starting pitchers after an hour long rain delay. Trent Thornton did better than his last start with 2 solid 1-2-3 innings, sandwiched by a 3 runs on 3 hits and an error inning. It still feels like the opponent knows what's coming when Thornton is pitching. He appears to be tipping his pitches, and that has led to him getting knocked around a bit his past 2 starts,
  • Thank you mother nature. The hour long rain delay brought the bats to life and led to 6 runs on 7 hits and a walk over 2 innings, including Vlad's first career grand slam. After that, the offence sputtered in the final 3 innings with just the lone base-runner on a lead-off single in the 7th by Randal Grichuk, that was promptly erased by a strike''em'out throw-'em'out double play.
  • Eric Sogard (2-5, 1 run scored), Freddy Galvis (3-5, 1 run scored), Teoscar Hernandez (2-4, 1 run scored) and Brandon Drury (2 run HR) all had strong days at the plate
  • Every Blue Jay but Danny Jansen got on base at least once
  • Up next, the Blue Jays wrap up the road trip and go for the series sweep with a matinee, weather permitting (more rain is forecast around game time tomorrow). Jacob Waguespack will get the spot start against a bullpen day for the Tigers.