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| Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo HR in a 4-2 comeback win over the Astros |
After a rain-out yesterday, the Blue Jays returned home to start a 10-game, 3-team homestand as they welcomed the Astros to town. The Astros won the season series last year, outscoring the Blue Jays 21-14. The Blue Jays aquired Luis Urias from the Diamondbacks and Yohendrick Pinago was optioned to AAA-ball to make room on the roster. Dylan Cease got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Jesus Sanchez was in LF. Ernie Clement got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Astros opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Isaac Paredes singled scoring Jeremy Pena
- The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 2nd as Kazuma Okamoto whacked a solo blast to left-center
- Hunter Brown pitching line: 3IP 4H 1R (earned) 2BB 4K 85 pitches (54 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 4th on a sac fly by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that scored Andres Gimenez
- The Astros tied it in the top of the 6th as Jose Altuve singled scoring Yordan Alvarez
- Dylan Cease pitching line: 5.2IP 3H 2R (both earned) 4BB 8K 110 pitches (67 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 7th on a sac fly by Myles Straw that scored Daulton Varsho
- The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 8th on a sac fly by Alejandro Kirk that scored George Springer
- Louis Varland pitched a scoreless 9th for his 16th save of the season
- Final score: Blue Jays 4 Astros 2
My Take:
- Dylan Cease battled through 5.2 innings, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits while walking 4 and striking out 8. For a bit there it looked like a taxed bullpen would need to record at least 12-15 outs, but Cease was able to make enough pitches to almost make 18 outs or 6 innings. You have to wonder if the extra day of rest may have impacted Cease. Pitchers are very much creatures of habit and throwing off the routine by adding an extra day of rest doesn't necessarily mean that Cy Young will be on the mound. Also, pitchers usually need to figure out which pitches are working on a given day.
- The bullpen threw 3.1 scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits, walking 2 and striking out 1. Tyler Rogers got into a rare jam by allowing 2 hits and walking a batter, but he was able to pitch his way out of the inning. Brayden Fisher, who retired every batter he faced, was credited with the win. Loois Varland should be on the all-star tea. He's been magnificent all season.
- Offensively, the Blue Jays got three productive outs with Vlad, Myles Straw and Alejandro Kirk all hitting sac flies. Kazuma Okamoto with his 17th HR of the season, more than double the total of George Springer, who has gone deep 7 times this season. What's it going to take to get Vlad going? It might be a good idea to let him hit lower in the lineup and maybe have a batting threat like Okamoto hit in front of him.
- The Blue Jays lost their ABS challenges. The Astros were an impressive 5-1 on ABS challenges. As I mentioned at the beginning of the season, in games where the home plate umpire of the day has a bad reputation for ball-strike accuracy, you will see more ABS challenges
- The Blue Jays were 1-9 with runners in scoring position. The team is definitely missing Don Mattingly
- Up next, a rare matiness with the World Cup game scheduled in Toronto. The Blue Jays will be looking to extend the win streak to 3 games and get above .500 for the first time since April 4th and to notch their 11th series win of the season. Shane Bieber makes his season debut against Atros righty Peter Lambert
