Game #143 Toronto Blue Jays (82-61) @ New York Yankees (80-63) - game recap

Vladimir Guerrero Jr briefly tied the game at 3-3 as the Yankees held on to edge the Blue Jays 4-3

 

After dropping yesterday's rain-delayed matinee due to an inept offence, the Blue Jay were looking to notch their 26th series win of the season. Max Scherzer got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad got the Half day off as DH with Ty France at 1B. Bo Bichette was completely out of the lineup after whacking his shin against the shin pads of Yankees catcher Austin Wells (Ernie Clement took his spot at SS). Myles Straw was in CF and George Springer was in RF. Davis Schneider got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays notch their 26th series win of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Yankees opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Ben Rice drilled a 3-run blast to right-center; also scoring Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 2nd as Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled scoring Alejandro Kirk
• A batter later, Ernie Clement scored on a sac fly by Nathan Lukes
• The Blue Jays tied it up in the top of the 3rd as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled scoring George Springer
•  The Yankees retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Bellinger doubled scoring Judge
•  Max Scherzer pitching line: 4.1IP 3H 4R (all earned) 4BB 8K 93 pitches (51 for strikes)
• Max Fried pitching line: 7IP 6H 3R (all earned) 1BB 4K 100 pitches (64 for strikes)
• David Bednar pitched a scoreless 9th for his 22nd save of the season
• Final score Yankees 4 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Max Scherzer battled through 4.1 innings, giving up 4 runs on 3 hits while walking 4 and striking out 8. While his command was off, it was encouraging to see him throw over 90 pitches after leaving his last start with back tightness. Scherzer will almost certainly get a playoff start. 
• The bullpen threw 3.2 scoreless innings, walking 1 and striking out 5. Ryan Borucki and Brayden Fisher combined for 2.2 perfect innings and 5 strikeouts. 
• Offensively, the Blue Jays did well to tie the game at 3, but they were not able to push across a 4th run. IKF, Nathan Lukes and Vlad drove in the runs. 
• With the win, the Yankees drew within 2 games of the Blue Jays for 1st in the AL East and a likely bye to the divisional round. The Red Sox could get as close as 3.5 games back if they won their game this afternoon against the Diamondback (the game was tied at 4 at the release of this recap.)
• Up next, after an off-day tomorrow,  the Astros, who swept the Blue Jays in Houston back in April, outscoring the Blue Jays 15-2 come to town. Ace Jose Berrios starts for the Blue Jays.  The Astros haven't announced their rotation for the series yet.

Game #143 Toronto Blue Jays (82-60) @ New York Yankees (79-63)

 

Game #142 Toronto Blue Jays (82-60) @ New York Yankees (79-63) - game recap

 

Brandon Lttle retired all four batters he faced in a 3-1 rain-delayed loss to the Yankees

After a huge win thanks to an 8-inning effort from Kevin Gausman and great efforts off the bats of Bo Bichette and Vlad, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 4 games and notch their 26th series win of the season. Chris Bassitt got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. IKF got the start at the hot corner. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 4 games and notch their 26th series win of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Yankees opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd as Jasson Dominguez singled scoring Cody Bellinger
• Two batters later, Jazz Chisholm Jr. scored on a sac fly by Austin Wells
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 4th on a ground out hit by Isiah Kiner-Falefa that scored Bo Bichette 
• Chris Bassirt pitching line: 5IP 3H 2R (both unearned) 3BB 3K 80 pitches (44 for strikes)
• The Yankees added a run in thew bottom of the 6th on a sac fly by Wells that scored Dominguez
• Luis Gil pitching line: 6IP 3H 1R (earned) 4BB 1K 90 pitches (56 for strikes)
• David Bednar got the last 4 outs for his 21st save of the season 
• Final score: Yankees 3 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Chris Bassitt battled through 5 innings, giving up a pair of unearned runs on 3 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3. Both teams opted to end the starter's nights after the hour-long rain delay after the top of the 6th. He was working his way in and out of jams most of the dsy whuch drove up his pitch count. Bassitt could be the odd man out in the rotation, provided the other four starters (Max Scherzer, Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber and Kevin Gausman) are all healthy and pitching well.
• The bullpen gave up a run on 2 hits while walking 2 and striking 5 over the last three innings. Brandon Little had an enouraging appearance, retiring every batter he faced, including 3 strikeouts. Here's  hoping they can pull together in September because a struggling bullpen could lead to a quick exit in the playoffs.
• IKF drove in the only Blue Jays run on a productive ground out. The offence has definitely cooled off in the last month.
• The Blue Jays were 1-10 with runners in scoring posittion
• Standings wise, the Yankees are back to 3 games back of the Blue Jays, whereas the Red Sox, who were losing their game when this post was released, could fall to 4.5 games back or gain a half game on a comeback win to 3.5 games back of 1st in the AL East.
• Up next, the rubber match where the Blue Jays will be looking to notch their 26th series win of the season. Max Scherzer starts against Yankees lefty Max Fried

Game #142 Toronto Blue Jays (82-59) @ New York Yankees (78-63)

 

Game #141 Toronto Blue Jays (82-59) @ New York Yankees (78-63) - game recap

 

Bo Bichette drove in 2 RBI and scored once in a 7-1 victory over the Yankees

After an off-day/travel day yesterday, the Blue Jays opened a crucial three game series against the Yankees in the Bronx. The Yankees, along with the Red Sox, are nipping at the Blue Jays heels in the AL East standings. The Blue Jays have already secured the season series and have won 7 of the first 10 games of the season series, outscoring the Yankees 51-59. Brayden Fisher was recalled from AAA-ball and Dillon Tate was optioned to AAA-ball. Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after serving as DH Wednesday (George Springer served as DH tonight). Nathan Lukes was in RF. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 3 games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Bo Bichette doubled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Three batters later, Nathan Lukes singled scoring Bichette and Daulton Varsho
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 2nd as on a sac fly by Bichette that scored George Springer
• Cam Schlittler pitching line: 1.2IP 5H 4R (all earned) 2BB 2K 66 pitches (46 for strikes)
• The Yankees got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Giancarlo Stanton bashed a solo jack to left-center and into the Blue Jays bullpen
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 5th as Guerrero Jr. smacked a solo blast to the opposite field in right-center
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 8th as Ernie Clement doubled scoring Alejandro Kirk. Clement was thr= out at 3rd base on the play
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 9th as Varsho doubled scoring Guerrero Jr 
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 8IP 4H 1R (earned) 1BB 5K 105 pitches (68 for strikes)
• Final score Blue Jays 7 Yankees 1

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman fired 8 excellent innings, giving up a run on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 5. The Blue Jays letting him pitch the 8th says a lot about the trust in the bullpen and perhaps wanting to give all the key relievers an extra day of rest. Gausman made one mistake in the 2nd inning to Giancarlo Stanton, who took him deep. He retired 18 of the first 20 batters he faced and really only start to get hit once Yankees hitters were on their 3rd AB against him. A great start that will be needed in the playoffs
• Brayden Fisher got the 9th and walked a batter. Surely he'll get some opportunities in higher leverage situations
• The veterans prevailed offensively today with Bo Bichette (2 RBI, a run scored), Vlad (3 runs scored, including a solo HR), Daulton Varsho (RBI, run scored) and Nathan Lukes (2 RBI) leading the way. Bichette is going to cash in big in free agency
• With the win, the Blue Jays are now 4 games on the Yankees and Bosox, who are losing to the Diamondbacks and could drop back to 4.5 games back and 3rd in the AL East. The Tigers lost so the Blue Jays are a game up on them for best record in the AL and home field advantage through the ALCS
• The Blue Jays were 5-9 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 4 games and notch their 26th series win of the season. Max Scherzer starts against Yankees righty Luis Gil