Sunday, August 28, 2022

Game #126- LA Angels (55-73) @ Toronto Blue Jays (68-58) - game recap

 

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a pair of hits and drove in a run in an 8-3 loss to the Angels. It was the fourth time this season that the Blue Jays have been swept.

After being on the losing end of a tight pitchers duel yesterday, the Blue Jays were hoping to snap the two game skid on a weekend where they were celebrating the 30th anniversary of their first world series championship. Ross Stripling got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Vlad was back at 1B after DH'ing yesterday. Whit Merrifield got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays snap the 2 game skid and avoid being swept for the 4th time this  season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

  • The Angels opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as Luis Rengifo smack a 2- run blast to right and into the Angels bullpen; also scoring Shohei Ohtani
  • The Angels added a run in the top of the 4th as Kurt Suzuki Smashed a solo blast to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Matt Chapman doubled scoring Bo Bichette
  • Tucker Davidson pitching line: 4IP 3H 1R (earned) 5BB 5K 84 pitches (43 for strikes)
  • Ross Stripling pitching line: 6IP 7H 3R (all earned) 0BB 6K 77 pitches (54 for strikes)
  • The Angels added a run in the top of the 7th as Mike Trout doubled scoring David Fletcher 
  • A batter later, Ohtani smacked an opposite field 2-run blast to left; also scoring Trout 
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tripled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
  • The Angels added  a run in the top of the 8th as Magneuris Sierra scored on a fielding error by Guerrero Jr. on a ball hit by Suzuki
  • The Angels added a run in the top of the 9th as Trout hammered a solo bomb to dead center 
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as George Springer hooked a solo blast just fair in left
  • Final score: Angels 8 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

  • Ross Stripling threw 6 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits while walking none and striking out six. The long ball hurt him with Luis Rengifo and Kurt Suzuki going yard for three runs. While the Blue Jays got one of thosse runs back, he was still down two by the time he left the game. He retired the final eight batters he faced
  • The bullpen had a rough day, giving up five runs on six hits and a Vlad fielding error while walking a pair and striking out four. The irony of it all is the most unreliable pitcher on the Blue Jays, Yusei Kikuchi, was the most effective on this day. Kikuchi struck out the only batter he faced. David Phelps gave up a run on two hits and two walks, Adam Cimber gave up a pair on 2 hits, Tim Mayza gave up a 2-run shot to left-handed batter Ohtani (one of the runs was charged to Cimber). All told, it put the game out of reach
  • The Blue Jays had plenty of base runners today with the Angels pitchers being effectively wild. The Blue Jays were 1-9 with runners in scoring position
  • Every Blue Jays starter except Whit Merrifield reached base at least once and all but Merrifield, Alejandro Kirk and Vlad had at least one hit 
  • As far as the Wild card race goes, the Rays and Mariners won and the Orioles lost, meaning the Blue Jays are in the 3rd WC spot a game back of the Mariners and a game and a half back of the Rays. The Orioles remain a game and a half back of the Blue Jays for the final WC spot 
  • Up next, the Blue Jays begin a three game set against the Cubs. The Blue Jays were swept by the Cubs last time these two teams met in 2017 with the Cubs outscoring the Blue Jays 17-12. Jose Berrios starts against Cubs righty Javier Assad