 |
| Teoscar Hernandez scored a run and drove in a run in a 5-2 extra innings loss to the Mariners |
After dropping the first game of this much-anticipated 4-game series in Seattle, the Blue Jays were looking to even the series. Vlad and Alejandro Kirk were named as starters to the all-star game. Yimi Garcia was activated off the 10-day IL and Casey Lawrence was optioned back to AAA-ball. Ross Stripling got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Springer was back in the lineup and in CF after a couple of days off to rest a nagging elbow injury. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Cavan Biggio at 1B. Could the Blue Jays even the series and guarantee they will remain ahead of the Mariners in the wild card standings after this series is over? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled scoring Teoscar Hernandez
- The Mariners tied the game in the bottom half of the inning as Dylan Moore doubled scoring Eugenio Suarez
- The Mariners took the lead in the bottom of the 3rd as JP Crawford doubled scoring Julio Rodriguez
- The Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the 5th as Hernandez singled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- Ross Stripling pitching line: 5IP 7H 2R (both earned) 1BB 6K 94 pitches (61 for strikes)
- George Kirby pitching line: 4.1IP 10H 2R (both earned) 1BB 4K 88 pitches (60 for strikes)
- The Mariners walked it off in the bottom of the 11th as Suarez belted a 3-run bomb to left; also scoring Crawford and Carlos Santana
- Final score: Mariners 5 Blue Jays 2
My Take:
- Ross Stripling battled through 5 innings allowing a pair of runs on 7 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6. He dealt with base runners in every inning but the 5th. He did retire the final 5 batters he faced
- The bullpen was solid tonight up until the 11th inning, allowing just 2 walks and a hit over 5 innings. Sergio Romo gave up his first runs as a Blue Jay. After electing to intentionally walk Carlos Santana, Eugenio Suarez absolutely annihilated a a 2-1 pitch deep to left. It almost landed in the same spot yours truly was sitting in in 2018 in the upper deck in left field.
- All the offence basically occurred in the furst 5 innings. The two teams combined for 4 runs on 17 hits and a pair of walks. Between the 5th and 11th innings there were a combined 7 base runners and none of them scored
- Old friend Ryan Borucki burned his former team by retiring 5 in a row. He was credited with the win. Another ex-teammate Ken Giles pitched a third of an inning and walked a batter.
- The Blue Jays had tons of chances to score and were a brutal 2-20 with runners in scoring position. They did not even advance the ghost runner to 3rd base in extra innings.
- Every Blue Jays starter except Cavan Biggio had at least 1 hit
- The Blue Jays are now 2-5 in extra inning games and have been outscored 44-36 in those games
- Up next, perhaps the most intriguing pitching matchup of the series. Alek Manoah starts against ex-Blue Jays ace Robbie Ray. The Mariners lefty won the 2021 Cy Young and was largely allowed to walk in free agency because of his vaccination status, which would have basically prevented him from pitching in Toronto because he would have been required to quarantine 14 days every time he crossed the border.
