After a shutout loss to the Yankees yesterday, the Blue Jays were looking to avoid being swept by the Yankees for the second time this season (The Yankees won both games of a mini 2-game set at Yankee Stadium May 10-11) and end the homestand on a winning note and snap the 3-game skid. Casey Lawrence was optioned to AAA-ball with righty Max Castillo being recalled in his place. Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after DH'ing yesterday. Teo got the half day off as DH today with Raimel Tapia in RF. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was back in the field after the full day off yesterday. Could the Blue Jays snap the 3-game skid, avoid being swept by the hated Yankees for the second time this season and end the home stand on a winning note? Here is today's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drilled a 2-run blast to left; also scoring Bo Bichette
- The Yankees got one back in the top of the second as Gleyber Torres cracked a solo jack to left-center
- The Yankees tied the game in the top of the 3rd as Josh Donaldson hammered a solo bomb to dead center
- Yusei Kikuchi pitching line: 4IP 3H 3R (all earned) 2BB 5K 80 pitches (45 for strikes)
- The Yankees took the lead in the top of the 5th as Aaron Judge doubled scoring Joey Gallo
- Three batters later, Torres doubled home DJ LeMahieu and Judge
- The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as George Springer smacked a solo blast to left-center
- The Yankees added a run in the top of the 6th as Kyle Higashioka hammered a solo bomb to the second deck in left
- A batter later, Marwin Gonzalez whacked a solo blast to the opposite field in left
- Luis Severino pitching line: 5IP 3H 5R (all earned) 4BB 9K 102 pitches (64 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays got 4 back in the bottom half of the inning on a grand slam to left-center by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also scoring Alejandro Kirk, Teoscar Hernandez and Matt Chapman
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 7th as Hernandez belted a 3-run bomb to straightaway center; also scoring Guerrero Jr. and Kirk
- The Yankees got one back in the top of the 8th as Anthony Rizzo hammered a solo bomb to the second deck in right
- Jordan Romano got the final 5 outs for his 17th save of the season
- Final score: Blue Jays 10 Yankees 9
My Take:
- There was a touching moment before the game with Charlie Montoyo's son throwing the first pitch to him. Montoyo's son has battled health problems in his young life, including not having a fully developed heart. Well done to the Blue Jays for giving the lad a special moment he'll never forget
- Yusei Kikuchi looked like he was heading for another loss. He gave up three runs on three hits while walking a pair and striking out five. Control continues to be a problem for Kikuchi. In the 1st inning, he walked the second batter he faced on eight pitches then drilled Josh Donaldson, who was very upset, with a fastball on the very next pitch. It won't be easy to turn Kikuchi around because his delivery is so complex with many moving parts.
- The normally reliable Adam Cimber gave up three runs in his inning of work on a pair of doubles. Max Castillo got a rude welcoming to the majors as the first two batters he faced both took him yard. Yimi Garcia was the only reliever to retired every batter he faced, getting 4 outs while striking out 3. Jordan Romano showed why he is the Blue Jays closer, recording the final 5 outs, including getting out of an 8th inning jam with the Yankees threatening to tie the game and more with runners on 2st and 2nd when Romano entered the game. He faced the same scenario in the 9th, except with 2 outs, and got Anthony Rizzo to ground out to end the nail biter of a game
- The bats were sizzling today with balls flying out of the yard on both sides. Sixteen of the nineteen combined runs were off of home runs. The biggest home runs of the day belonged to Lourdes Gurriel Jr., whose grand slam in the 6th brought the Blue Jays within a run, and Teoscar Hernandez, whose 3-run jack in the 7th gave the Blue Jays the lead for good. Vlad's 2-run shot to start the day was also pretty huge as it got the dugout pretty fired up after three tough losses in a row
- I want to address a comment made by Blue Jays dad on twitter. He was griping about the balls being juiced for the Yankees and not the Blue Jays. Today's slug fest puts that theory to rest. If the Blue Jays have anything to gripe about it's the inconsistent umping that surely had an effect on how the Blue Jays pitchers were pitching and the Blue Jays batters were approaching their at-bats.
- Every Blue Jays starter except Santiago Espinal reached base at least once
- Up next, the Blue Jays hit the road for a week long road trip beginning tomorrow in Chicago against the White Sox, who the Blue Jays swept in Toronto May 31-June second, outscoring the south siders 21-11, Ace Jose Berrios starts against White Sox righty Lance Lynn
