#36 - Minnesota Twins (21-12) at Toronto Blue Jays (15-20)

The actual chair that Killebrew hit with a 520-foot HR, in the spot where the old Metropolitan Stadium was.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019 | 7:07 pm beer time

Rogers' Cash Cow Centre | Toronto, ON

PREAMBLE:

Well, what can you say about yesterday's game?  Today's game certainly couldn't be worse (other than to be no-hit), so let's look forward!  The Blue Jays look to even up the series against the Twins in tonight's second game.

Aaron Sanchez hopefully won't follow ex-BFF Marcus Stroman's model in torpedoing his trade value as he takes the ball tonight, facing Jose Berrios.

Game #35 Minnesota Twins (21-12) @ Toronto Blue Jays (15-20) - game recap

Martin Perez threw seven shutout innings as the Twins shutout the Blue Jays 8-0

The Blue Jays came into this one having dropped two in a row and five of their last six. The starting pitching has been struggling to get through 5 innings, which has put pressure on the bullpen. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has struggled in adjusting to major league pitching. Tonight, Marcus Stroman was back on the mound looking for his second win of the season. Could the Blue Jays snap the losing streak? Here is tonight's game recap.

#35 - Minnesota Twins (20-12) at Toronto Blue Jays (15-19)

Monday, May 6, 2019 | 7:07 pm ET

Rogers Centre | Toronto, Ontario

PREAMBLE:

The Blue Jays limp home after a 1-5 road trip that could very easily have been 0-6.  They face the Minnesota Twins, who have gone 11-4 since losing 3 of 4 to the Jays in mid-April.

Marcus Stroman takes the ball for the Jays as he looks to cool off the Twins' bats and get back into the winning column again.  He'll face Martin Perez, who boasted he would beat the Jays in his first start of the season during that earlier series (news flash: he didn't get the win as the Jays won 5-3 with a bunch of late runs).

Ten weekly random thoughts: Week 5 : April 29-May 5

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. cleared another milestone in his early career that's sure to land him in the hall of fame (once he gets the bat going that is). Guerrero Jr. completed the first road trip of his young career. It was a tough week all around for the Blue Jays, as they dropped five of six on the road trip, winning perhaps the most unlikeliest of the six games to have won, defeating the Rangers in the opener of their weekend series after arriving in the wee hours of the morning, facing a pitcher that always seems to give the Blue Jays trouble and using a pitcher that has yet to win an MLB game. Now, the Blue Jays are home for a week with series against the Minnesota Twins, who the Blue Jays took two of three from a couple of weeks ago, and the Chicago White Sox, who the Blue Jays won 4 of 6 against last season. It's imperative the Blue Jays get some length from their starting pitchers this week to save a bullpen that has been used a lot in the early going. Here are ten random thoughts from week 5 of the MLB.

Game #34 Toronto Blue Jays (15-19) @ Texas Rangers (16-16) - game recap

Asdrubal Cabrera was 2-4 with 4 RBI and a pair if runs scored as the Rangers routed the Blue Jays 10-2

Another milestone for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: he wrapped up his first career road trip today. Clay Buchholz was on the mound trying to secure his second win in a blue that's uniform. The Blue Jays more or less went with the same lineup as yesterday except Brandon Drury replaced Socrates Brito in right field. Could the Blue Jays take the rubber match of the series and had gone on a positive note? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Rangers opened the scoring in the bottom of the second as Asdrubal Cabrera doubled home Joey Gallo
• A batter later, Roughned Odor smacked a two run shot over the wall in right also scoring Cabrera
• The Blue Jays for one back in the to of the 3rd as Eric Sogard lined a solo Scott that just cleared the wall in right
• The Rangers added three more runs in the bottom half of the inning as Cabrera crushed a three run bomb to right-center, also scoring Shin-Soo Choo and Gallo.
• The Rangers added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Choo singled home Danny Santana
• Drew Smyly pitching line:4IP 2H 1R (earned) 2BB 5K 68 pitches (41 for strikes)
• Clay Buchholz pitching line 4IP 8H 7R (all earned) 1BB 1K 76 pitches (51 for strikes)
• The Rangers added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Odor singled scoring Nomar Mazara
• The Rangers added two more runs on a two run single by Elvis Andrus that plated Jeff Mathis and Choo
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 7th as Rowdy Tellez singled home Justin Smoak
• Final score: Rangers 10 Blue Jays 2

My Take: 

• Clay Buchholz actually had a terrific 1st inning, retiring the side in order on just 6 pitches. However, it was all down hill from that point, as Buchholz was lit up for seven runs on seven hours and a walk over the next three innings. The Rangers simply bright their bats to the game today and they weren't going to miss any mistake pitches. There has to be concern that velocity was down for Buchholz today. He reached 90mph on his best pitch.
• Luke Maile did a great job in his first pitching appearance, retiring the side in order and ending things with a strikeout
• Sogard continues to be the most consistent player offensively. He smacked a solo shoot and drew a walk 
• Up next, the Blue Jays open a three game series against the Minnesota Twins starting tomorrow. It's pretty essential that Marcus Stroman pitches deep into the game after the weekend starters both failed to pitch into the 5th inning. The Twins will counter with lefty Martin Perez.