| Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extended his hitting streak to 16 games wiith a 2-run HR in a 6-5 extra innings loss to the Twins |
After a huge win after scoring 9 runs over the final half of the game, the Blue Jays were looking for their second straight win over the Twins and overall. Ace Jose Berrios faced his former team for the first time since his trade deadline acquisition from the Twins a year ago and was looking for his 3rd win over his former team. Danny Jansen was behind the plate. George Springer was out of the lineup for the 4th time in 5 games with an elbow injury. One wonders if he's going to be heading for an IL stint soon. Merrifield was in CF for the second straight game and batted leadoff today. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. got the half day off as DH with Raimel Tapia in LF. Santiago Espinal was back at 2B after the day off yesterday. Could the Blue Jays make it two straight wins? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Twins took the lead in the bottom of the 3rd as Mark Contreras whacked an opposite-field solo blast to left-center
- The Twins added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Jose Miranda singled scoring Carlos Correa
- A batter later, Nick Gordon hammered a 3-run bomb to right-center; also scoring Jorge Polanco and Miranda
- Jose Berrios pitching line: 3.2IP 6H 5R (all earned) 2BB 1K 60 pitches (38 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 5th as Matt Chapman bashed a solo blast to dead center
- The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 6th as Santiago Espinal whacked a solo jack to left-center
- Two batters later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drilled a 2-run bomb to dead center; also scoring Whit Merrifield
- Tyler Mahle pitching line: 6IP 5H 4R (all earned) 1BB 5K 86 pitches (61 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the 9th as Raimel Tapia singled scoring Bo Bichette
- The Twins walked it off in the 10th on a botched catch by Danny Jansen that scored Gordon.
- Final score: Twins 6 Blue Jays 5 (10 innings)
My Take:
- Jose Berrios the not so great was on the mound today. He started off well enough, retiring 8 of the 1st ten batters he faced. The wheels fell off in the 4th inning, allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and a walk. He was given a chance to complete the inning and did retire 2 of the next 3 batters, but a 5-pitch walk to Sandy Leon ended his night. Given his inconsistency, I would start Kevin Gausman or Alek Manoah in the opening game of a wild card series. The ball never left the infield
- Two uncharacteristic errors by Danny Jansen was the difference in this one. First he made a high throw to Vlad when a third strike got away from him. A batter later, he could not handle a throw by Matt Chapman that looked like it was going to nail Gordon by a mile
- The bullpen held the Twins to the one run, 5 hits and a walk while striking out 5 over the final 5.1 innings. Yimi Garcia had to escape a bases loaded jam in the 9th to prevent the walk-off from happening an inning earlier
- Zach Pop made his Blue Jays debut, pitching an inning and allowing a pair of hits
- The bats came alive mid game, clawing back 4 runs on 3 HR over the 5th and 6th innings. Some clutch hitting tied the game on their last out in the 9th. Unfortunately the clutch hitting was absent in the 10th with the Blue Jays failing twice with the bases loaded. Teo and Bo both struck out to end the threat
- Vlad extended his hitting streak to 16 games with the HR
- Every Blue Jays starter had at least one hit
- Up next, the Blue Jays try to lake the lead in this weekend series. Righty Mitch White will make his Blue Jays debut and start this game. The Twins will counter with righty Dylan Bundy
