After pulling off a massive late win on the bck of a solo blast in the 8th by Bo Bichette, the Blue Jays try to make it two wins in a row. Ace Robbie Ray got his final start of the season with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. sat out, presumably with hand issues. Corey Dickerson DH'ed with Teo in LF, George Springer in CF and Randal Grichuk in RF. Could the Blue Jays make it two in a row? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Yankees opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Aaron Judge drilled a solo bomb to dead center
- The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the 2nd as Corey Dickerson doubled scoring Bo Bichette
- The Blue Jays took the lead n the bottom of the 5th as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled scoring Marcus Semien
- Corey Kluber pitching line: 4.2IP 7H 2R (both earned) 1BB 2K 83 pitches (57 for strikes)
- The Yankees tied the game in the top of the 6th as Anthony Rizzo drilled a solo bomb off the basing of the second deck
- A batter later, Judge annihilated a solo bomb to dead center
- Two batters later, Gleyber Torres smashed a 2-run bomb to straightaway center; also scoring Giancarlo Stanton
- Robbie Ray pitching line: 5.1IP 4H 5R (all earned) 3BB 4K 100 pitches (59 for strikes)
- The Yankees added a run in the top of the 9th as Brett Gardner smacked a solo blast to right-center
- Final Blue Jays 7 Yankees 2
My Take:
- Robbie Ray battled through 5..1 innings, giving up 5 runs on 4 hits while walking 3 and striking out 4. All four hits went yard. Ray retired 13 in a row, broken up by Anthony Rizzo's blast. Neither Ray nor Gerritt cole did much to advance or hinder their Cy Young chances. Both starters had similar outings this week.
- The bullpen gave up a run on 2 hits while walking 1 while striking out 7. Nate Pearson had 4 strikeouts.
- Offensively the Blue Jays had their chances, but as has been a theme the Blue Jays don't score without a HR. Look at the best teams. They can score in many ways.
- Every Blue Jays starter, except Teoscar Hernandez, Alejandro Kirk and Randal Grichuk had at least one hit.
- The Blue Jays were an abysmal 1-10 with runners in scoring position
- In terms of the WC race, the Blue Jays missed an opportunity to move into a tie with Seattle and Boston heading into the final week of the season. The Red Sox lost and the Mariners were idle. The Blue Jays go into the final weekend a game back of the Red Sox and Mariners for the 2nd WC spot.
- Up next, the final series of the regulat season against the lowly Baltimore Orioles, who have over 100 losses for the 3rd time in 4 years. The only reason they didn't get 100 losses in 2020 is because the season was only 60 games long. The Blue Jays have won 11 of the 16 games in the season series, outscoring the Orioles 125-75. Friday's pitching matchup will be Steven Matz against an unannounced Orioles righty.
