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| Kevin Gausman threw 8 strong innings in a losing effort as the Orioles knocked off the Blue Jays 8-3 in 11 innings. |
After dropping an extra inning game yesterday on a weird day that sawJohn Schneider forced to remove starter Alek Manoah after a serious gaffe where he made a second mound visit after pitching coach Pete Walker had already made a mound visit earlier the same inning and the winning run being scored on a play where the ball struck runner Ryan Mountcastle in the back and deflected past the glove of Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen, the Blue Jays were looking to end a dreadful week with a win and hit the road on a positive. Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Nathan Lukes was in LF and Whit Merrifield was at 2B. Could the Blue Jays end the week and homestand on a winning note? Here is today's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd as Matt Chapman smashed a solo blast to left center
- The orioles tied the game in the top of the third on a groundout hit by Adley Rutschmann that scored Joey Ortiz
- A batter later, Cedric Mullins scored on a fielder's choice hit by Anthony Santander
- Dean Kremer pitching line: 5.1IP 9H 1R (earned) 2BB 7K 105 pitches (64 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the 7th On a sack fly by Chapman that scored George Springer
- Kevin Gausman pitching line: 8IP 6H 2R (both earned) 2BB 4K 115 pitches (77 for strikes)
- The Orioles took the lead in the top of the 10th as Mullins singled scoring Jorge Mateo
- The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom half of the inning as Whit Merrifield singled home Daulton Varsho
- The Orioles retook the lead in the top of the 11th as Austin Hays singled scoring Ryan McKenna
- Two batters later, Terrin Vavra singled scoring Adam Frazier and Hays
- Two batters later, Mullins doubled home Gunner Henderson and Vavra
- Final score: Orioles 8 Blue Jays 3 (11 innings)
- Kevin Gausman did his part, firing 8 innings, giving up a pair of runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 4. It says a lot about the Blue Jays trust in the bullpen these days that Gausman was asked to throw the extra inning, when he started the 8th inning pushing 100 pitches. If Vlad had made a better throw home, they might have gotten Cedric Mullins at the plate and Gausman might have been the winner. Then again, with Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson unavailable, perhaps not.
- The bullpen, and in particular, Yimi Garcia, was a disaster. Garcia came in after the Blue Jays worked hard to tie the game in the 10th after Nate Pearson gave up a run in the 10th and proceeeded to give up five runs on five hits. I've said it a thousand times, the bullpen is the weak spot for the Blue Jays and if management doesn't make a move soon, the Blue Jays might fall too far back and miss the playoffs entirely.
- Once again, the offence could not get it done with runners in scoring position. They were an abysmal 3-16 with runners in scoring position
- They also made several mental errors - Bo Bichette was caught stealing after overshooting the bag on the slide, Brandon Belt made an out at third base trying to advance to third base on a bakll hit to the shortstop and Whit Merrifield was picked off at 1st base in the 10th inning after driving in the tying run. During spring training, Schneider emphasized attention to detail on the little things. This game was the exact opposite of that.
- Up next, the Blue Jays hit the road again for a week, starting with a 4-game series that begins tomorrow night at Tropicana Field against another division rival, the Tampa Rays. The Blue Jays won two of three against the Rays back in Toronto a month ago, but the Rays outscored the Blue Jays 13-12, thanks to an 8-1 blowout in the series finale after a pair of close one-run contests. Chris Bassitt starts against Rays righty Trevor Kelley.
