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| Whit Merrifield drove in a pair and scored once in a 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks |
After a four-day break for all-star week, the Blue Jays opened the unofficial second half of the season with a weekend series 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. George Springer and Jay Jackson were reinstated from the paternity list. Jose Berrios got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. George Springer was back in the lineup and in RF after missing the last 2 games witnessing the birth of his child. Daulton Varsho was in LF and Whit Merrifield got the start at 2B. Brandon Belt served as DH. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games and start the unofficial 2nd half with a win? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd as Vladimir Guerrero Jr hammered a solo bomb to left-center
- Five batters later, Matt Chapman scored on a sac fly double play hit by Kevin Kiermaier. Whit Merrifield was thrown out at 3rd to on the play to end the inning
- The Diamondbacks got one back in the top of the 4th on a wild pitch by Jose Berrios that scored Ketel Marte
- Jose Berrios pitching line: 5.iIP 7H 1R (earned) 1BB 4K 90 pitches (61 for strikes)
- Ryne Nelson pitching line: 5.2IP 9H 2R (1 earned) 0BB 3K 97 pitches (62 for strikes)
- The Diamondbacks tied the game in the top of the 7th as Gabriel Moreno smacked a solo blast to the opposite field in right-center
- The Blue Jays retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a fielder's choice hit by Brandon Belt that scored Kiermaier
- Two batters later, Chapman doubled scoring Cavan Biggio
- A batter later, Merrifield singled scoring Chapman and Guerrero Jr
- Two batters later, Merrifield scored on a throwing error by Marte on a ball hit by Danny Jansen
- Final score: Blue Jays 7 Diamondbacks 2
My Take:
- Jose Berrios battled through 5.1 innings, giving up a run on 7 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4. He got a bit fortunate in the 1st inning when the Diamondbacks ran into 2 outs with Geraldo Perdomo getting gunned down at 3rd base by Kevin Kiermaier and Whit Merrifield and Berrios picking off Corbin Caroll to end the inning. Berrios uncorked a wild pitch on the only run he allowed. He left with a chance to win
- Unfortunately, Trevor Richards gave up a solo blast to ex-Blue Jays prospect Gabriel Moreno. Nate Pearson and Jay Jackson both struck out a pair in their inning of work
- Offensively, every Blue Jay had at least one hit
- Vlad, Matt Chapman and Whit Merrifield combined to go 7-14 with 5 runs scored and 4RBI
- Up next, the Blue Jays go for three straight wins and 19 series wins and 10 season series wins. Kevin Gausman starts against Diamondbacks righty Zac Gallen
