Orioles 3 Jays 7
That was a much better game.
The Jays went up 2-zip in the first. Brett Bateman started the game with a walk, and scored on Vladimir Guerrero’s double off the wall. Then Alejandro Kirk singled Vlad home.
And we got three more in the third. Bateman started this inning with a home run. George Springer singled and, an out later, Kirk homered. 5-0 and we could coast.
We got one in the sixth: Josh Smith was hit by pitch and Andrés Giménez doubled him home. We should have scored more that
inning, but on a single Giménez rounded third, and, after Orioles third baseman faked a throw to first, tossed to SS Christian Encarnacion-Strand (covering third) and Giménez was tagged out. Not good baserunning, but that seems to be a theme lately.
And one more in the seventh. Vlad was hit by a pitch. I got a laugh out of Dan saying that it didn’t hurt, cause it was a slider, only 80 mph. I can’t throw 80 mph, and yet, I don’t think you’d want me hitting you with a baseball. An out later, Lukes hit a full-count pitch through the hole opened by the Orioles SS moving to second because Vlad was running on the pitch. Vlad got to third. Kazuma Okomoto walked to load the bases. And pinch hitter Ernie Clement hit a sac fly. That made it 7-3
We maybe should have scored more, but seven was plenty.
We used seven pitchers in a bullpen day:
- Spencer Miles started. He had a tough first inning, loading the bases on two walks and a single, but didn’t give up a run. He was, putting it mildly, much better in the second inning, getting three strikeouts. Five of his six outs were strikeouts. He left at 44 pitches.
- Joe Mantiply pitched a clean second.
- Spencer Arrighetti (I wonder how many times the Jays have had two Spencer’s pitching in a game?) got the ‘bulk role’, tho at 2.2 innings, it wasn’t really bulky. He allowed two hits, one earned run, two walks and two strikeouts. The unearned run came because Okamoto bobbled a softly hit grounder to him and then threw high over Vlad at first (into the stands). A rare two error play. Arrighetti gave up a two-out walk in the sixth and was pulled for
- Mason Fluharty. He gave up a double (that didn’t score the runner) and got a line out to Bateman (thanks Brett. I wasn’t thrilled they took Arrighetti out that early, but we won, so ok. Fluharty came in to face a lefty, but, of course the O’s pinch hit, so he ended up facing two RHB. Fluharty gave up a singled and got a strikeout in the seventh, brining in
- Paul Sewald. Paul quickly gave up a home runs making it 6-3, but he got out of the inning.
- Tyler Rogers got two ground outs and a strikeout in the eighth.
- Louis Varland, in a non-save spot, came in for the ninth. He made it tough on himself by making a throwing error on a ground ball hit back at him. Pitchers can (most of the time) hit a pretty small target, throwing to the plate, but can’t hit the broad side of a barn throwing anywhere else. But he got out of the inning.
Brett Bateman, as well as the home run, made a terrific catch on a deep fly ball to the gap. And Nathan Lukes had a 9-3 put out at the plate on a single to right. Beautiful throw.
We had 11 hits and 5 walks. Also two homers and two doubles. Springer, Kirk and Giménez. Martin had the only 0 for (0 for 2, walk).
Jays of the Day: Kirk (0.15 WPA), Bateman (0.10, plus a great catch in center), and Miles (0.10). I’ll give an honorary mention for a 0.08 day and some good glove work. His biggest problem (on defense was not being 15 feet tall to catch the over throws.
No on gets the Other Award. Rudy Martin had the low mark at -0.06, getting just a walk in his first MLB game.
The Twins just beat the Guardians, Jays are just one game back again.
