Game #126 Seattle Mariners (51-73) @ Toronto Blue Jays (52-74) - game recap

Austin Nola was 2-4, including a solo HR to lead the Mariners to a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays 

First, there will be no game recap tomorrow as I am helping out with a car wash in Surrey. My weekly random thoughts post will be posted as per usual Monday morning. After taking the first game of this weekend series thanks to the strong pitching of Jacob Waguespack and some timely hitting by the Blue Jays batters, the Blue Jays were looking to make it two in a row vs. their expansion cousins. Trent Thornton, who was looking to repeat his performance from 5 days ago who he held a tough Yankees lineup to 1 run on 3 hits while walking one and striking out 6 over 6 innings. The lineup was pretty much the same as yesterday, except Justin Smoak got the half day off, serving as the DH with Rowdy Tellez at 1st base and Reese McGuire got the start behind the plate. Could the Blue Jays make it two in a row against their expansion cousins? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Mariners opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Austin Nola scored on a sac fly by Keon Broxton
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom half of the inning as Billy McKinney singled home Justin Smoak
• Reggie McLain pitching line: 2IP 3H 1R (earned) 1BB 0K 29 pitches (22 for strikes)
• The Mariners retook the lead in the top of the 4th as Nola lined one to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen
• Three batters later, Daniel Vogelbach scored on a sac fly by Broxton
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 5th as Bo Bichette hammered a solo bomb to left-center
• Trent Thornton pitching line: 6IP 5H 3R (all earned) 4BB 3K 86 pitches (50 for strikes)
• The Mariners retook the lead in the top of the 8th as Kyle Seagar hammered a solo shot off the foul pole in right
• Matt McGill pitched a scoreless 9th for his 1st save of the season.
• Final score: Mariners 4 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Normally I start this section of the game recap talking about the Blue Jays starting pitcher and how he did, but the Blue Jays Lost Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who left the game prior to the top of the 3rd with left knee soreness. I'm going to get into it more in my weekly random thoughts post, although you wonder if they might place Vlad on the 10-day IL with a week long road trip on the horizon that will involve a lengthy flight. No question, this will be a point to the HPD team, which has been liberally giving Vlad days off and games where he DH's. Hopefully his big bat isn't out of the lineup too long.
• Trent Thornton battled through 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3. He lost the strike zone a bit in the 2nd inning, walking the bases loaded twice (a run scored on a sac fly and the next batter walked). Command continues to be something Thornton needs to work on
• Bo Bichette (2-5, solo HR), Justin Smoak (1-2, run scored, drew 2 walks), and Reese McGuire (2-4, solo HR) all had strong days at the plate
• Up next, the Blue Jays wrap up the home stand with a getaway day matinee before hitting the road for the final interleague series of the season and the final west coast swing of the season, including a rematch against the Mariners in Seattle next weekend. The Mariners will use a traditional starter tomorrow with lefty Yusei Kikuchi making his 15th start of the season. The Blue Jays will use an opener, with Wilmer Font pitching, followed by lefty Thomas Pannone.