Game #32 Baltimore Orioles (14-19) @ Toronto Blue Jays (18-14) - game recap

 

Teoscar Hernandez hit a 2-run single in the 9th as the Blue Jays came from behind to walk off the Orioles 6-5

After a clinical 5-0 shutout over the Orioles last night, the Blue Jays continued their series against the lowly Baltimore Orioles squad with the first of two matinees to wrap up the homestand. The two teams will meet one more time in Buffalo to wrap up the season. Tanner Roark got the start for the Blue Jays. The righty was looking for his 3rd win in a Blue Jays uniform. Same lineup as yesterday, except Reese McGuire was behind the plate. Could the Blue Jays make it 4 in a row and 6 straight against the Orioles? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Orioles opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Ryan Mountcastle hammered a solo bomb to left
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 4th as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled home Randal Grichuk
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 5th as Cavan Biggio singled scoring Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
• A batter later, Joe Panik scored on a sac fly by Grichuk
• Jose Lopez pitching line: 4.2IP 3H 3R (all earned) 3BB 3K 63 pitches (37 for strikes)
• Tanner Roark ptching line: 5IP 8H 4R (all earned) 2BB 5K 87 pitches (61 for strikes)
• The Orioles got one back in the top of the 6th as Pedro Severino singled home Renato Nunez
• A batter later, Mountcastle absolutely annihilated a 2-run bomb to left-center; also scoring Severino
•  The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the 8th as Rowdy Tellez singled home Teoscar Hernandez
• The Orioles took the lead in the top of the 9th as Jose Iglesias singled home Rio Ruiz
• The Blue Jays won it in the bottom half of the inning on a single by Hernandez that scored Santiago Espinal and Grichuk
• Final score: Blue Jays 6 Orioles 5

My Take:

• Tanner Roark pitched in and out of trouble today. He tossed five innings, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits while walking 2 and striking out 5. Ryan Mountcastle destroyed two of Roark's pitches, taking him right out of the ballpark twice. Roark could have gone an extra inning, but best to let him leave on a positive note,
• Every Blue Jays starter except Reese McGuire got on base at least once and all but McGuire and Rowdy Tellez had at least one hit
• For the first four innings, it looked like Jose Lopez was going to have a Greg Maddux-like outing. He was still in the mid-20s with his pitch count with 1 out in the 4th. He threw almost 40 pitches the next inning and a third, including three walks.
• The Blue Jays got a bit of a break, not having to face Orioles closer Mychal Givens, who was traded to Colorado earlier in the day
• By the time the game ends tomorrow, the trade deadline will have passed. The Orioles could move another player or two, including Friday's starter Alex Cobb. I could see the Blue Jays looking for another reliever or a bat or two.
• Up next, the Blue Jays wrap up the weekend series and homestand with a matinee against the Orioles. They will be looking to sweep Baltimore for the second time this season. Chase Anderson gets the start against Orioles lefty Keegan Akin.