Thursday, August 20, 2020

Games #22 and 23 Philadelphia Phillies (9-12) @ Toronto Blue Jays (12-11) - game recap (records reflect what they were after the second game today)

 

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a pair of big hits as the Blue Jays came from behind twice to sweep today's double header against the Phillies by scores of 3-2 (1st game) and 9-8 (2nd game)

It was double header day in Buffalo. Today was initially supposed to be a travel day/off day for the Blue Jays. However, due to having their weekend series with the Phillies wiped out two weeks ago, the Blue Jays had to make up two of the games today. Chase Anderson got the start in the first game, while Trent Thornton came off the IL to start the 2nd game. Reese McGuire started the 1st game behind the plate and Danny Jansen started the 2nd game at catcher. Vlad played in the field for the 1st game and served as DH in the 2nd game. After playing in left field for the first time in his career yesterday, Cavan Biggio started the first game in center field for the first time in his career (he later moved to 2nd base and played the second game at his natural position at 2nd base.) Billy McKinney made his first start of the season in the first game in LF before moving to RF later in the game. Santiago Espinal started the first game at SS, before being replaced by Brandon Drury later in the game after Rowdy Tellez, who was at 1B for the second game, pinch hit for him. Drury started the 2nd game at the hot corner after Travis Shaw played the 1st game there. Joe Panik started the 2nd game at SS after playing the 1st game at 2B. Could the Blue Jays sweep the double header and make it 5 wins in a row? Here is today's game recap(s)

Game Highlights (1st game):

  • The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the 1st, as Bryce Harper cranked a solo blast to left
  • The Phillies added a run in the top of the 3rd as Andrew McCuctchen singled scoring Roman Quinn
  • Chase Anderson pitching line: 3.2IP 4H 2R (1 earned) 1BB 3K 78 pitches (44 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 4th on a sac fly by Santiago Espinal that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
  • Spencer Howard pitching line: 3.2IP 5H 1R (earned) 2BB 5K 67 pitches (42 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the 6th as Cavan Biggio doubled home Billy McKinney
  • The Blue Jays walked it off in the bottom of the 7th as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled scoring Teoscar Hernandez
  • Final score: Blue Jays 3 Phillies 2

My Take: (1st game):

  • Chase Anderson threw a solid 3.2 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while walking 1 and striking out three. The better news is Chase Anderson is close to the pitch count you want to see in a starting pitcher. He threw 78 pitches today. Expect him to throws 85-90 next time out. 
  • Billy McKinney had a good first game back on the Blue Jays roster, with a 2-3 effort at the plate with a run scored
  • Every Blue Jays starter except Santiago Espinal (he had an RBI on a sac fly in the 6th) and Randal Grichuk.
  • The team batted .300 with runners in scoring position (3-9) and left 11 runners on base.
  • Up next, the second game of the double header. Trent Thornton comes off the IL to start this one against Phillies righty Vince Velasquez

Game Highlights (2nd game):

  • The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Didi Gregorius singled scoring Andrew McCutchen
  • A batter later, Alec Bohm singled home Rhys Hoskins
  • Two batters later, Bryce Harper scored on a sac fly by Neil Walker 
  • A batter later, Andrew Knapp doubled scoring Gregorius 
  • Two batters later, McCutchen doubled scoring Knapp, Bohm and Scott Kingery
  • Trent Thornton pitching line: 0.2IP 5H 6R (all earned) 1BB 1K 32 pitches (20 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom half of the inning as Teoscar Hernandez cranked a 2-run blast to left-center; also scoring Rowdy Tellez
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 6th as Tellez crushed a solo blast to right
  • Three batters later, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. smashed a 3-run blast to left-center; also scoring Hernandez and Vladimmir Guerrero Jr. 
  • Four batters later, Danny Jansen scored on a wild pitch by Hector Neris 
  • Same batter, Tellez singled scoring Randal Grichuk and Cavan Biggio
  • The Phillies got one back in the top of the 7th as JT Realmoto legged out an infield single scoring Gregorius
  • AJ Cole got the final out for his 1st save of the season
  • Final score: Blue Jays 9 Phillies 8 

My Take (2nd game):

  • That was an ugly return to the mound for Trent Thornton, who couldn't get out of the 1st inning, giving up 6 runs (all earned) on 5 hits, while walking 1 and striking out 1. Was he not 100% when he returned? Or does he just need some serious time in side sessions working on his arsenal. The Blue Jays have to be concerned with Nate Pearson already out with his own elbow problem.
  • The bullpen actually did quite well after that ugly 1st inning, retiring 10 in a row before Bryce Harper drew a walk leading off the 5th inning. It looked like it was going to be an easy 7th with Anthony Kay retiring the first two batters, but then the next three reached base before AJ Cole got Roman Quinn to strike out swinging
  • The Blue Jays came back late in this one with a big 7-run inning in the 6th that saw the Blue Jays send 13 men to the plate and the damage could have been even greater with the bases left loaded.
  • It was a clean game defensively in this one.
  • Up next, the Blue Jays head back on the road to begin a weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays. They will face Ryan Yarborough for the opening game, while the Blue Jays are trying to sort out their rotation with the injury to Nate Pearson and the disastrous start by Thornton in this one. Don't be surprised if Thornton goes right back on the IL, because he did not look right today.