After beating the Rays attheir own game yesterday, the Blue Jays were looking for their second straight win. Breyvic Valera was placed on the COVID-19 IL. Kevin Smith was recalled from AAA. Julian Merryweather got the ball first in a bullpen day. Reese McGuire was behind the plate and Jake Lamb was at the hot corner. Jarrod Dtson got the start in CF. Could the Blue Jays make it two straight wins? Here is today's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- Julian Merryweather pitching line: 1IP 1H 0R 1BB 0K 21 pitches (13 for strikes)
- The Rays opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd on a sac fly by Yandy Diaz that scored Brandon Lowe
- A batter later, Austin Meadows annihilated a 3-run bomb to the opposite-field in right-center; also scoring Randy Arozarena and Ji-Man Choi
- Four batters later, Taylor Walls singled scoring Manuel Margot and Francisco Meija
- Luis Patino pitching line: 3IP 1H 0R 1BB 1K 37 pitches (35 for strikes)
- The Rays added a run in the bottom of the 4th Diaz singled scoring Arozarena
- The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 6th on a sac fly by Teoscar Hernandez that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- Ryan Borucki and Pete Walker were both ejected by crew chief Joe West after Borucki hit Kevin Kiermaier in the back in the top of the 8th. Kiermaier stirred up controversy in Monday's game after he picked up Alejandro Kirk's game card after it was knocked out of Kirk's wrist band.
- Final score: Rays 7 Blue Jays 1
My Take:
- Julian Merryweather did his job, allowing no runs while giving up a hit and a walk in the 1st inning. Ross Stripling had a disasterous outing following Merryweather, giving up 5 runs on 5 hits while walking one. Taylor Saucedo also gave up a couple of runs on 2 hits
- Let's talk about the Ryan Borucki ejection. As mentioned above, Kiermaier picked up Alejandro Kirk's index card that held the game plan that had fallen out of Kirk's wrist band on the play. The Blue Jays sent a bat boy to the Rays dugout to try and get it back, but the Rays refiused. No doubt the umpires were on high alert the last game and tofay about the possibility of retribution in the form of an accidental/intentional HBP. Nothing happened last game. Today, with the Blue Jays heading for a blowout loss, Borucki drilled Kiermaier in the back with a fastball. He was ok physically, but the benches cleared and Kiermaier had some choice words for Borucki. The Blue Jays lefty was tossed after a brief conference by the umpire and Pete Walker, who came steaming out of the Blue Jays dugout in defense of Borucki, was tossed as well. A couple of thoughts. The umpires should have warned the teams befote yesterday and today that any retribution would not be tolerated. Also, Teoscar Hernandez was plunked by a pitch in the 1st inning and really, home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman should have tossed Rays starter Luis Patino at that point. Third, when the NHL is expecting possible retribution, Colin Campbell will often attend the game in question. The MLB should do the same. The league will review things and Borucki could get suspended to prevent any trouble in a potential playoff series.
- Offensively, it was a lacklustre performance. Teo knocked in Vlad with a sac fly in the 6th. The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the 1st on a walk, hit by pitch and single and could do nothing further. After that the next ten Blue Jays were retired before Jake Lamb reached on an error. The final six Blue Jays were retired
- The Blue Jays were 1-8 with runners in scoring position.
- In terms of the WC race, pending the results of the Yankees/Rangers game, the Blue Jays could be a half game out of the 2nd WC spot. One of the A's or Mariners will be 2 games back of the 2nd WC spot. With the win, the Rays became the first AL team to clinch a playoff spot.
- Up next, the Blue Jays play their final road series of the season - a 4-game set in Minnesota. Thursday's pitching matchup will be Steven Matz against Twins righty Michael Pineda.
