Blue Jays 5 Nationals 2
That was a fun game.
Until the sixth inning, we were losing 1-0. Well, from the fourth inning until the sixth inning we were losing 1-0.
We tied it in the sixth. George Springer walked to lead off the game. Two outs later, Ernie Clement doubled him home.
And we went ahead in the seventh. With one out, Kazuma Okamoto singled. An out later, singles from Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho scored him.
Thankfully, we got three more in the eighth. Davis Schneider doubled with one out.
Very happy for him, he’s had a rough go, hopefully that hit will be the start of good stuff. Yohendrick Piñango singled to give us runners on the corners. Myles Straw came in to pinch run for Lips, smart move as he’ll be coming in on defense anyway.
Straw decided to steal second. He was called safe. Nationals challenged and it wasn’t overturned. But it was very close. I am sure that if it was an out call on the field, it would not have changed on review. I was less than pleased with the baseball IQ shown. We had an insurance run on third and one out. A fly ball would have given us a big run.
Nathan Lukes struck out. Okamoto doubled both home (a bloop double, that the center fielder almost made the catch on). Then Springer singled home Okamoto.
It went from a one run lead to a four run lead.
Tyler Rogers, who got the last out of the seventh, stayed in the game for the eight. He sat for a long time (Dan said 17 minutes) and he wasn’t sharp in the eight.
James Wood led off with a double. Luis García Jr. singled him in, making it 5-2 . José Tena walked bringing the tying run to the plate. And bringing Louis Varland into the game looking for a six out save.
Varland got a force out at third, an amazing play by Andrés Giménez, making a diving stop to his right and throwing to third for the force. He didn’t have time to turn to second and go for the double play. Good on Clement for being close to the bag at third.
A Varland walk put the tying run on first. But a strikeout and a fly out ended the inning. and catching one after he slipped (he seems good at making catches after slipping).
There was a dumb moment in the first. Jays had runners on first and third with one out. Springer struck out, on the third strike pitch, Okamoto was thrown out trying to steal second. I think, it was an effort for a double steal, he goes to second, stops and Lukes at third comes home. But it was very poorly executed.
I’m sort of burying the lead….Trey Yesavage was excellent. 6.2 innings, just 3 hits, 1 earned, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. Very little was hit hard of him. After six innings, he was at 87 pitches. I was glad John left him out there to start the seventh. He gave up a lead off single. Then a sac bunt and a strikeout. Then John put in Rogers, who got a ground out.
There was a lot of terrific defense today. Varsho made a couple of excellent catches in center. One in the first inning with a runner on, catching the ball right at the top of the wall. I don’t think it would have been a home but would have been close. And catching one after he slipped (he seems good at making catches after slipping). Giménez and Nasim Nuñez (even though he made an error) put on a show at short
We had 12 hits, and 4 walks and should have scored more. Okomoto had 3. Lips, Kirk, and Varsho had 2 each. Lukes (with 2 walks) and Giménez (0 for 4) had the 0 fors.
Jays of the Day: Varland (0.23 WPA, he didn’t seem happy with getting water poured on him while talking to Hazel. He threw his glove hard at, I think, Straw for doing it), Yesavage (0.23), Okamoto (0.19, and good play at first base), Varsho (0.15) and Davis Schneider (0.10, for a double and a walk).
Other Award: Rogers (-0.11, maybe the long offensive inning cost him), Lips (-0.11, but a nice catch in left), Lukes (-0.09) and Springer (-0.09).
Tomorrow is an off-day. Friday the Cardinals come to Toronto. There might be a trade or two by then.
