Friday, June 18, 2021

Game #68 Toronto Blue Jays (33-35) @ Baltimore Orioles (23-46) - game recap

 

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a solo HR in a 7-1 loss to the Orioles

After being swept by the Yankees, the Blue Jays hit the road to Baltimore to begin their season series against the Orioles. Last season, the Blue Jays were 8-2 against the Orange birds from Maryland and outscored the AL East rivals 58-50. Robbie Ray got the start. Ray won his last start and has at aleast 10 strikeouts in hs last two starts. TJ Zeuch was optioned to AAA and Anthony Kay was recalled from AAA. George Springer had the day off today and is expected to play on the weekend. Vlad was back in the field after a half day off yesterday, serving as the DH. Riley Adams was behind the plate. Joe Panik served as DH tonight. Could the Blue Jays snap the 4-game skid? Here is toniht's game recap.

Game Highlights:

  • The Orioles opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Cedric Mullins led off the inning with a solo bomb to right 
  • The Blue Jays tied the game in tbe top of the 5th as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. cranked a solo blast to left-center 
  • The Orioles retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Austin Mays singled home Pat Valaika
  • Thomas Eshelman pitching line: 5.2IP 3H 1R (earned) 1BB 3K 57 pitches (39 for strikes)
  • Robbie Ray pitching line: 4.1IP 6H 2R (both earned) 2BB 5K 106 pitches (69 for strikes)
  • The Orioles added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Freddy Galvis doubled scoring Ryan Mountcastle 
  • A batter later, Maikel Franco singled home Galvis 
  • Three batters later, Mullins hammered a 3-run bomb to right-center; also scoring Franco and Pedro Severino
  • Final score: Orioles 7 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

  • It was not Robbie Ray's night. The Blue Jays southpaw gave up 2 runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 5. Credit the Orioles for fouling pitches off and driving up Ray's pitch count early. In the 1st inning alone, Ray threw 25 pitches
  • The bullpen had another rough night, in particular, the 8th inning where the Orioles tacked on five insurance runs to put this one out of reach. Injuries have been a big factor with Jordan Romano about the only reliable reliever that's healthy. Rafael Dolis, AJ Cole, Ryan Borucki, Kirby Yates, David Phelps, Carl Edwards Jr., Julian Merryweather, Tommy Millone and Thomas Hatch are all on the injured list. Yates barely threw a pitch before he required season-ending Tommy John surgery. This leaves Charlie Montoyo trying to get enough outs to reach Romano. GM Atkins is surely going to have to try and make some kind of move for some relief help soon because at this point George Springer's return won't matter if the bullpen can't hold a lead or keep a game tied late 
  • Offensively, the Blue Jays managed 4 hits and 2 walks. At one point, nine blue Jays in a row were retired. Only Joe Panik and Cavan Biggio reached base multiple times
  • Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hurt himself striking out in the 6th and was pinch hit for in the 9th. The Blue Jays are already short of outfielders with Jonathan Davis and Teoscar Herrnandez, both tending to their wives, who both had recent births.
  • The Blue Jays were 0-3 with runners in scoring position
  • Up next, the Blue Jays look to snap the 5-game skid. Alek Manoah gets the start against Orioles righty Dean Kremer