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| Kevin Kiermaier hit a go-ahrad solo HR in a 5-2 comeback win over the Royals |
After a solid win yesterday thanks to the 4RBI effort from George Springer and 8 excellent innings from Kevin Gausman, the Blue Jays were looking for their third straight win and 15th series sweep of the season. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Bo Bichette was back in the lineup and served as DH. Whit Merrifield was in LF. Could the Blue Jays make it three straight wins and 15 series sweeps? Here is today's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Royals opened the scoring in the top of the 6th as Bobby Witt Jr. doubled scoring Kyle Isbel
- A batter later, Witt Jr. scored on a ground out hit by Salvador Perez
- The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch by Cole Ragans that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- Same batter, Davis Schneider scored on a wild pitch by Ragans
- Cole Ragans pitching line: 5.2IP 1H 2R (both earned) 6BB 6K 105 pitches (60 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 7th as Kevin Kiermaier whacked a solo blast to right
- Jose Berrios pitching line: 7IP 5H 2R (both earned) 2BB 7K 100 pitches (69 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Santiago Espinal singled scoring Daulton Varsho
- A batter later, Cavan Biggio singled scoring Whit Merrifield
- Jordan Romano pitched a scoreless 9th for his 34th save of the season
- Final score: Blue Jays 5 Royals 2
My Take:
- Jose Berrios fired 7 solid innings, giving up a pair of runs on 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 7. After allowing a single and a walk with 2 outs in the 1st inning, Berrios retired 13 in a row before Isbel led off the 6th inning with a triple. Berrios should receive a start in a potential wild card season in a bounceback season for him/
- The bullpen pitched 2 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits and a walk. Uncharacteristically, Jordan Romano found himself in a bases loaded situation with 1 out after giving up 2 hits and a walk. He beared down and got the last 2 outs on a strikeout and a fly ball to center field.
- Offensively, the Blue Jays got a gift in the 6th inning, when a dominant Cole Ragans suddenly became wild (due to injury?) throwing three wild pitches that weren't even close in a row. Kevin Kiermair gave the Blue Jays the lead with a solo jack to right in the 7th and Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio hd two clutch RBI singles in the 8th for a three-run cushion.
- Vlad and Davis Schneider were the only Blue Jays to reach base multiple times, both drawing 2 walks.
- The Blue Jays were 2-5 with runners in scoring position
- In terms of the wild card race, the Mariners lost, the Astros and Rangers won and the Red Sox were in a rain delay with 2 outs in the bottom of the 8th and leading 7-3. The Blue Jays are now in the 2nd WC spot, a game up on the Mariners and 1.5 games up on the Rangers, who open a huge 4-game series in Toronto starting tomorow night. If the Red Sox hold on and win, they will be 6 games back of the Mariners for the final WC spot. If they lose, they drop to 7 games back. The Astros are now 2.5 games up on the Mariners for the AL West division title.
- Up next, the Blue Jays begin a masssive 4-game series against the Texas Rangers, who come into the series with 2 straight wins. The Rangers took 2 of 3 from the Blue Jays back in mid-June, outscoring the Blue Jays 16-11. Chris Bassitt starts against Rangers righty Dane Dunning.
