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| Daulton Varsho got the only hit for the Blue Jays in an 8-0 shutout loss to the Astros |
After a huge comeback win on the backs of a clutch go-ahead HR from Davis "Babe" Schneider, the Blue Jays were going for their first multi-game win streak and first series win of the season. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Daulton Varsho was in LF and Kevin Kiermaier in CF. Isiah Kiner-Falefa was at the hot corner and Cavan Biggio was at 2nd base. Could the Blue Jays make it two straight wins and notch their first series win of the season? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Astros opened the scoring in the bottom of the 3rd as Yordan Alvarez hammered a solo bomb to dead center
- The Astros added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Alvarez doubled scoring Jose Altuve
- The Astros added a run in tbe bottom of the 5th as Chas Mccormick singled scoring Alex Bregman
- A batter later, Jeremy Pena singled home Yainer Diaz
- Chris Bassitt pitching line: 4.1IP 9H 4R (all earned) 3BB 3K 91 pitches (55 for strikes)
- Christian Javier pitching line: 5IP 1H 0R 5BB 3K 97 pitches (51 for strikes)
- The Astros added a run in the biting of tbe 6th as Alvarez hammered a solo bomb to dead center
- The Astros added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 7th as Pena drilled a2- run bomb to dead center; also scoring Mccormick
- Two batters later, Altuve crushed a solo blast to left
- Final score: Astros 8 Blue Jays 0
My Take:
- For the second straight start, Chris Bassitt was knocked around. This time, he gave up 4 runs on 9 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3 over 4.1 innings. Yordan Alvarez was his nemesis tonight with the Astros DH going deep on Bassitt and driving in a second run. Alvarez got hits in all 3 AB against Bassitt. Chris Bassitt escaped two bases loaded situations with just one run allowed (Alvarez's solo HR). Perhaps the Blue Jays should look at the video to see if Bassitt may be tipping his pitches
- The bullpen wasn't much better on this night, allowing a further 4 runs on 6 his while walking 1 and striking out 4 over the last 3.2 innings. Trevor Richards was the only reliever to retire every batter he faced. Nate Pearson allowed both inherited runners to score and Tim Mayza and Wes Parsons were both taken yard. The bullpen has had a heavy workload early with the starters mostly struggling, other than Jose Berrios and Kevin Gausman, the latter being on a strict pitch limit coming off an injury and not being fully stretched out.
- For the second game in three days, Blue Jays were shutout. The only reason why they were not shutout all three games this series is due to the home run Davis Schneider hit with the Blue Jays down to their last strike. Tonight, they managed a single hit and could not take advantage of an effectively wild Christian Javier, who walked five batters over 5 innings. The Blue jays cannot expect the pitching to be perfect every night. They have to figure out how to drive in runs without going yard. Davis Schneider wouldn't have made much of a difference tonight
- The Blue jays were 0-5 with runners in scoring position
- Up next, the Blue Jays head to the Bronx to take on the Yankees after an off-day tomorrow. Yusei Kikuchi gets the start against ex- Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman. It will be interesting to see if the Blue Jays stick with backup catcher Brian Servin, who caught Kikuchi's first start, or whether they opt to go with veteran Alejandro Kirk behind the plate, having caught Kikuchi more often.
