Vladimir Guerrero Jr. bashed his 46th HR of the season in a 7-3 loss to the Twins
After an important series win over the Rays, a likely opponent in the divisional round, should the Blue Jays secure a WC spot and win that game. Tonight, they began a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins. In 2019. the Twins won 4 of the 7 games in the season series and outscored the Blue Jays 36-20. Jose Berrios will face his former teammates on Sunday and in Minnesota next week. Josh Donaldson also returns to Toronto, though not for the first time since he left the Blue Jays in 2018. Hyun-Jin Ryu got the start tonight with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Corey Dickerson was in CF and Jake Lamb was at the hot corner. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Twins opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Brett Rooker doubled scoring Miguel Sano
- The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a throwing error by Twins SS Jorge Polanco on a ball hit by Danny Jansen that scored Corey Dickerson
- A batter later, Jansen scored on a double by Jake Lamb aided by a throwing error by Polanco
- The Twins tied the game in the top of the 3rd as Byron Buxton doubled scoring Ryan Jeffers
- A batter later, Polanco bashed a 2-run blast to left-center; also scoring Buxton
- A bater after that Josh Donaldson hammered a solo bomb to the opposite field to right-center
- A batter later, Miguel Sano drilled a solo bomb to dead center
- Hyun-Jin Ryu pitching line: 2IP 6H 5R (all earned) 1BB 2K 48 pitches (30 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the innings as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smashed a solo blast to left
- The Twins added a run in the top of the 6th as Rooker bashed a solo blast to right-center
- Michael Pineda pitching line: 5.2IP 3H 3R (earned) 2BB 2K 89 pitches (64 for strikes)
- Final score: Bluue Jays 7 Twins 3
My Take:
- Hyun-Jin Ryu was knockked around today, giving up 5 runs (all earned) on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 2. Ryu actually retired the first 3 batters he faced and gave up a run on a walk and hit, but he could not record an out in the 3rd inning. Perhaps the short turnaround made a difference (he was initially supposed to start tomorrow night.
- The bullpen gave up 2 more HR and three more hits, as well as 3 walks while striking out 5 over 6 innings. Julian Merryweather threw an inning, but did not face Josh Donaldson (Merryweather was the player to be named later in the trade that sent Donaldson to the Indians in 2018)
- In terms of the offense, Corey Dickerson had the hot stick, going 2-4 with a run scored. Vlad hit his 46th HR of the season and is now 8 back of Joe Bautista's single season record of 54HR and he won't catch Carlos Delgado's single-season record of 154RBI.
- In terms of the WC race, the Yankees, Red Sox and Mariners all won and the A's (three back of the 2nd WC spot) were trailing the Angels in the 6th. The Blue Jays are now 0.5games back of the 2nd WC spot.
- Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the weekend series against the Twins. Stcven Matz starts against Twins righty Bailey Ober
