Saturday, September 19, 2020

Games #50 and 51 Toronto Blue Jays (26-25) @ Philadelphia Phillies (26-25) - game recap (records reflect what they were after the second game today)

 

Teoscar Hernadez was 3-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI in the second game of the double header in a losing effort as the Phillies took both games of the double header by scores of 7-0 and 8-7

After a thorough beatdown for three straight days at Yankee Stadium, the Blue Jays moved onto Philadelphia where they will wrap up the road portion of the schedule. Today, barring any inclement weather, was to be the final double header of the season. Toronto was the 'home" team for the 1st game. Lefty Robbie Ray got the start in the 1st game and Ross Stripling was the 1st pitcher up for the 2nd game. Alejandro Kirk was behind the plate for the 1st game and Danny Jansen got the 2nd game. Vlad was in the field for both games (shock). Cavan Biggio was DH'ing the 1st game (Bo Bichette DH'd the 2nd game after being in the field game 1. Santiago Espinal got the start at SS in game 2) and at the hot corner (Travis Shaw was there in game 1) in game 2. Jonathan Villar was at 2B game 1 and Joe Panik got the start there in game 2. Randal Grichuk, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez were the outfielders both games at their usual positions. Could the Blue Jays sweep (or at least split the double header)? Here is/are today's game recap(s)

Game Highlights (1st game):

  • The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Didi Gregorius doubled home Bryce Harper 
  • The Phillies added a pair of runs in the top of the 5th as Harper hammered a 2-run bomb to right; also scoring Andrew McCutchen
  • Three batters later, Phil Gosselin singled home Alec Bohm
  • Two batters later, Andrew Knapp tripled scoring Gregorius and Gosselin
  • Robbie Ray pitching line: 4.1IP 5H 5R (all earned) 4BB 6K 92 pitches (56 for strikes)
  • The Phillies added a run in the top of the 6th as Bohm singled home Roman Quinn
  • Zach Eflin pitching line: 7IP 4H 0R 2BB 9K 92 pitches (59 for strikes)
  • Final score: Phillies 7 Blue Jays 0

My Take (1st game):

  • Both starters threw 92 pitches, one being much more efficient than the other.  Take the 1st inning for example. Robbie Ray needed 30 pitches to get through the 1st and allowed a run on a double after a pair of walks. Eflin struck out the side after allowing a leadoff single to Cavan Biggio and threw half the number of pitches as Ray did. Ray retired 11 of the next 13 batters he faced after the RBI double. However, after striking out Roman Quinn, he walker McCutchen, Harper took him yard and the next 2 batters, who both eventually came around to score, hit singles off him. It's too bad about the start by Ray, because he showed a lot of promise last time out
  • Offensively, the Blue Jays (except Cavan Biggio, who reached base all three times with a pair of hits and a walk) were stymied by Phillies righty Zach Eflin. The best chance the Blue Jays had to score was in the 7th when they had runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs, only to see Travis Shaw strike out to end the game
  • Is Alejandro Kirk the right backup catcher? Or should the Blue Jays give Reese McGuire another chance or go with the more experienced backstop Caleb Joseph?
  • Up next, game two of the double header. Ross Stripling starts for the Blue Jays and the Phillies will counter with righty David Hale

Game Highlights (2nd game):

  • The Phillies opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Didi Gregorius singled home Alec Bohm
  • The Phillies added a run in the bottom of the 3rd as Andrew McCutchen smacked a solo blast to right
  • The Blue Jays got one back n the top of the 4th as Teoscar Hernandez hammered a solo bomb down the line in left
  • Two batters later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled home Randsl Grichuk
  • Two batters later, Santiago Espinal singled scoring Guerrero Jr.
  • Two batters later, Cavan Biggio singled home Espinal and Joe Panik
  • David Hale pitching line: 3.1IP 4H 2R (both earned) 0BB 1K 34 pitches (27 for strikes)
  • The Phillies tied the game in the bottom half of the inning as Rafael Marchan annihilated a 3-run bomb to right-center; also scoring Scott Kingery and Mickey Moniak
  • Ross Stripling pitching line: 3.1IP 4H 3R (all earned) 3BB 4K 65 pitches (36 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays retook the lead in the top of the 5th on a sac fly by Randal Grichuk that scored Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
  • Scary moment a batter later as Vlad was hit by a 94MPH fastball that deflected off the side of his batting helmet. Luckily he was ok to finish the game. We'll see how he feels tomorrow because concussion symptoms can take time to appear
  • Three batters later, Hernandez scored on a bases loaded walk by Danny Jansen
  • The Phillies tied the game in the bottom of the 6th as Bryce Harper doubled home Moniak and Marchan
  • A batter later, Alec Bohm beat out an infield single. Harper scored after a terrible throw by Panik deflected off the glove of Rafael Dolis, who was forced to leave the game with knee discomfort on the play
  • Hector Neris pitched the 7th for his 5th save of the season
  • Final score: Phillies 8 Blue Jays 7

My Take (2nd game):

  • Welp, 2 games where bad pitching sunk the Blue Jays. Ross Stripling and Robbie Ray needed a combined 58 pitches to get through the 1st inning of their starts. Ray then had a rough inning in the 5th with 5 consecutive batters reaching base (Bryce Harper launched one out of the park and the 5th hit was given up by Thomas Hatch). In the second game, The bullpen was unable to hold two separate leads (Vlad didn't help on what would be the winning run, but more on that on the next point). The bullpen bending and breaking as of late is a direct result of a complete mismanagement by Charlie Montoyo, who has asked them to get at least 9, and often more outs night after night. Sure, he tried to spread out the workload as best he could, but he should have let the starters keep rolling in a few of the games, when their pitch count was still decent
  • OK, onto Vlad, who directly cost the Blue Jays the game in game 2. It was on a routine grounder that Joe Panik fielded cleanly, but for whatever reason, Vlad was running to seemingly cover second base (why he did that when Bryce Harper was either going to stay where he was or advance to 3rd on the play I have no idea), forcing Rafael Dolis to hustle over to cover 1B, forcing Panik to panic and rush the throw a bit. The ball deflected off Dolis's glove, allowing Harper to score from 2nd base. Even worse, Dolis slipped on the bag and injured his knee. If he's forced to the 10-day IL, it'll mean two closers (Ken Giles and Dolis) unavailable for the last week of the season. I'm wondering if the hit to the head Vlad took in the 5th affected his judgment.
  • Cavan Biggio, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Randal Grichuk were the only Blue Jays with hits in both games
  • The losses mean the Blue Jays were unable to take advantage of the Orioles, Tigers and Mariners all losing today. The last series of the season against the Orioles next weekend could be huge
  • Up next, the Blue Jays try to snap the 5 game losing streak. They'll have ace Hyun-jin Ryu on the mound. The Phillies will counter with righty Vince Velasquez