Game #15 Miami Marlins (8-4) @ Toronto Blue Jays (6-9) - game recap

 

Travis Shaw hit a pair of home runs, including the game-tying solo shot in the 8th  in a losing effort in a wild 14-11 loss to the Marlins

I'm dedicating this game recap to Susan McRae, a Blue Jays fan who passed away this morning. After pulling out their first extra innings win of the season, the Blue Jays wrapped up their brief 2-game series against the Miami Marlins, aka, the team that nearly killed the baseball season. Nate Pearson got the 3rd start of his career, looking to notch his first career W. Same lineup as last night, except Rowdy Tellez was at DH. Could the Blue Jays finally win a series? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Marlins opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Brian Anderson smashed a three-run bomb to left; also scoring Matthew Joyce and Corey Dickerson
• The Marlins added a run in the top of the 3rd as Eddy Alvarez drew a bases loaded walk forcing in Dickerson,
• Two batters later, a run (Joyce) came home on a fielding error by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Magneuris Sierra just beat Guerrero Jr. to the bag. The call was upheld after the Blue Jays challenged
• A batter later, Francisco Cervelli scored on a passed ball by Danny Jansen
• A batter later, Alvarez stole home
• A batter later, Jesus Aguilar singled home Sierra
• Nate Pearson pitching line: 2.1IP 5H 7R (4 earrned) 4BB 1K 65 pitches (33 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom half of the inning as Teoscar Hernandez smacked a 2-run blast to left-center; also scoring Bo Bichette 
• The Blue Jays got 2 more back in the bottom of the 4th as Rowdy Tellez crushed a 2-run blast to right-center also scoring Randal Grichuk
• Jordan Yamamoto pitching line: 3.1IP 7H 4R (all earned) 2BB 5K 75 pitches (42 for strikes)
• The Marlins added a run in the top of the 5th as Jonathan Villar singled home Cervelli
• A batter later, Aguilar singled scoring Alvarez and Jon Berti
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom half of the inning on their third 2-run HR of the night, this time to left by Travis Shaw; also scoring Bichette
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom of the 6th as Danny Jansen clobbered a 2-run bomb to left also scoring Tellez
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 7th as Guerrero Jr. sent a screamer over the wall in dead center 
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 8th as Bichette smacked a solo shot to left-center
• A batter later, the Blue Jays tied the game as Shaw sent a bomb to right-center 
• The Marlins took the lead in the top of the 10th as Sierra singled home Alvarez and Berti
• Two batters later, Aguilar singled scoring Sierra 
• Josh A. Smith pitched a scoreless 10th for his 1st save of the season
• Final score: Marlins 14 Blue Jays 11

My Take:

• It was a rough night for Nate Pearson, who gave up 7 runs on 5 hits, while walking 4 and striking out 1. You can throw the ball real hard, but if you don't locate the ball, big league hitters will either clobber it or draw a walk because they won't swing at a bad pitch. Pearson didn't get much help from the defense with three runs being unearned thanks to a fielding error by Vlad with the bases juiced
• The bullpen wasn't much better. Jacob Waguespack allowed a further 4 runs on 5 hits (2 runs were unearned due to more defensive blunders). Shun Yamagushi has his best outing in a Blue Jays uniform, throwing 2.1 perfect innings and striking out 4. Jordan Romano allowed his first base hit of the season. Rafael Dolis had an ugly inning in the 10th. An unforced error moved the runner up AND the batter on the first play of the inning was safe due to bad positioning. Later in the inning, the Blue Jays nearly got caught with nobody covering third after Danny Jansen had a ball bounce away from him, very nearly allowing Sierra to advance from 1st to 3rd on the play.
• It was all about the long ball for the Blue Jays offence. In 4 straight innings, the Blue Jays had a 2-run HR. They followed that feat up with 3 solo shots to knot the game at 11. Travis Shaw haad two of the home runs, including the game-tying shot in the 8th. It's clear that the Blue Jays hitters are pretty comfortable playing in Buffalo, as most of them should be having played in Buffalo as the last stop of their minor league careers or as a rehab stint
• This was an ugly game for the defense that saw the Marlins score SIX unearned runs. This game had it all: Bichette threw the ball away in the 10th, Pearson threw a wild pitch in the 3rd, The Marlins were allowed to steal home, players weren't in a good position on a sac bunt and couldn't even get an out, Danny Jansen had a passed ball get by him, Vlad missed a catch. A big part of baseball is mental. You have to be paying attention to what's going on around you and to your assignment. Bottom line, mentally the Blue Jays weren't ready to play today
• Up next, after an off-day tomorrow, the Blue Jays open a weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Tanner Roark will start for the Blue Jays against an unknown Rays pitcher (probably an opener)