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| Danny Jansen hit a game-tying 2-run HR in the 9th inning of a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Tigers |
And the Blue Jays have reached the end of the unofficial 1st half of the season and the start of all star week and a much needed four days off. After a brutal 2-0 shutout loss to the Tigers yesterday in which the Blue Jays were no hit for the 7th time in franchise history (the first time it was a combined no bitter), the Blue Jays were looking to end the first half on a winning note and also get their 18th series win and 9th season series win. Zach Pop was reinstated from the 10- day IL and was optioned to AAA-ball. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Whit Merrifield was in LF and Santiago Espinal was at 2B. Danny Jansen served as DH. Could the Blue Jays get a win on the last day of the 1st half and notch their 18th series win and 9th season series win? Here is today's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Tigers opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd as Miguel Cabrera singled scoring Javier Baez
- The Tigers added a rain in the bottom of the 3rd as Riley Greene hammered a solo bomb to right-center
- Tarik Skubal pitching line: 4IP 2H 0R 2BB 5K 63 pitches (43 for strikes)
- The Tigers added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Spencer Torkelson singled scoring Zach McKinstry
- Chris Bassitt pitching line: 4IP 9H 3R (all earned) 0BB 4K 89 pitches (59 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 7th on a groundout hit by Alejandro Kirk that scored Matt Chapman
- The Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the 9th as Danny Jansen hammered a 2-run bomb to left-center; also scoring Chapman
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 10th as Nathan Lukes doubled scoring Daulton Varsho
- Jordan Romano pitched a perfect 10th for his 26th save of the season
- Final score: Blue Jays 4 Tigers 3 (10 innings)
My Take:
- Chris Bassitt probably didn't want to end his first half this way - giving up 3 runs on 9 hits while walking none and striking out 4. Bassitt was just a bit of with his command and balls were creeping too close to the middle of the plate and the Tigers batters weren't missing. You have to think the Tigers gained a bit of confidence after no hitting the Blue Jays yesterday and definitely wanted to end the 1st half on a 2- game win streak. Bassitt ends the first half with an 8-5 record and a 4.19ERA in 19 starts
- The bullpen did a solid job, allowing 2 hits, walking none and striking out 7 over 6 innings. Tim Mayza, Yimi Garcia and Jordan Romano threw perfect innings in relief and struck out a combined 5 batters
- After a bad game offensively yesterday, the Blue Jays quickly broke up the no hit bid with Whit Merrifield leading off the game with a single. It looked like the Blue Jays were going to end the first half on a 2- game losing streak until Danny Jansen tied the game with a 2- run bomb. Minor league callup Nathan Lukes hit a clutch double down the left field line to give the Blue Jays the lead in the 10th inning
- The Blue Jays were 1-8 with runners in scoring position
- Up next, after the four day break for all star week, the Blue Jays open the unofficial second half against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Daulton Varsho and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. will be facing their former ball clubs after being traded for each other in the off-season. Gurriel Jr. hit .285 with 68HR and 254 RBI in 5 seasons, 468 regular season games, 1724AB. This season, he is batting .269 with 15HR and 54 RBI in 77 games and 297AB. Varsho is batting .215 with 12HR and 30RBI. In 2019, The Diamondbacks swept the season series 3-0, outscoring the Blue Jays 22-4. Neither team has set their rotation for the series.
