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| Alek Manoah threw seven strong innings in a 5-1 loss to the Twins |
After pulling off a a huge comeback win yesterday to save Kevin Gausman, who was bad yesterday, the Blue Jays were going for their 2nd straight win and 5th series win of the season. Alek Manoah got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Sppringer was back in the lineup and in RF. Daniel Vogelbach served as DH. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins and 5 series wins? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Twins opened the scoring in the top of the 7th as Carlos Santana belted a 3-run jack to right-center; also scoring Max Kepler and Alex Kirillof
- The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly by Danny Jansen that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- Bailey Ober pitching line: 6.1IP 1H 0R 0BB 10K 104 pitches (67 for strikes)
- Alek Manoah pitching line: 7IP 4H 3R (none earned) 1BB 6K 78 pitches (55 for strikes)
- The Twins added a pair of runs in the top of the 8th as Kepler doubled scoring Edouard Julien and Carlos Correa
- Final score: Twins 5 Blue Jays 1
My Take:
- Alek Manoah was excellent today, firing 7 strong innings, giving up 3 unearned runs on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6. Manoah's delivery was a lot more consistent and he had much better command of his pitches. Maybe this might be the turning point in his career and not a one-off good start
- The bullpen gave up a pair of runs on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 3 over 2 innings. Erik Swanson was responsible for both runs, both hits and the walk. It has been a disastrous season for Swanson, who missed the first few weeks with an injury suffered in spring training. One has to wonder if he was rushed back too soon.
- The offense was almost non-existent today, after its biggest output of the season yesterday.. Through the first 6 innings, the Blue Jays had exactly one hit - a single by the red hot Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who later scored the Blue Jays only run on a sac fly by Danny Jansen
- The Blue Jays were 0-2 with runners in scoring position
- Up next, the Blue Jays hit the road for a brief three-game series in Baltimore. The Orioles won 10 of 13 games in the season series last year, outscoring the Blue Jays 75-40. Ace Jose Berrios starts against Orioles righty Corbin Burnes.
