Jays 2 Mariners 6
So that eighth inning was the only one that mattered.
Brendon Little came in. People don’t like him but he’s been good this season.
Cal Raleigh hit one that just cleared the left field wall.
348 feet homer in 14/32 parks. Four feet less would have been nice. Little gave up just two home runs this season, but that that one was a bad one. He walked the next two batters, more in his norm.
Seranthony Dominguez came in and the wheels totally came off. A hit batter and a grand slam and the game was over. I don’t know if things would have been better if we started the inning with him. I guess it couldn’t have gone worse.
As it turned out, Hoffman would have been the better choice. Likely. He’s given up a lot of home runs this year, but he looked great yesterday. Yesterday they didn’t save him for the ninth, today they did.
After the home run, Seranthony got three quick outs, but Lincoln was already dead.
I likely wouldn’t have gone with Dominguez there, but then it would have been tough for anyone.
Kevin Gausman was excellent. 5.2 innings, 3 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts 1 earned on a Suárez home run.
Louis Verland got 4 outs only giving up a walk with 2 strikeouts and a ball that was foul by the thickness of a sheet of paper.
We got a run in the fifth (Barger led off with a single, and, two outs later, George Springer doubled him home. And one in the sixth, Alejandro Kirk started the inning with a double and scored on an Ernie Clement single. I was surprised he was sent, but the throw home was terrible.
We had other chances:
- In the third Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off with a double, but Andrés Giménez line out to first and IKF was too far off the bag as was doubled off. I don’t know if IKF was too much at fault, he, was leading off before the pitch. If he knew it would be caught he might have made it back, but, by the time it was caught, it was too late.
- In the fourth we loaded the bases. Nathan Lukes doubled, Vlad was intentionally walked and Kirk was unintentionally walked. But Varsho struck out and Clement hit into a weird double play. He topped the pitch, it landed about an inch in front of the plate. The catch picked it up, while still on the plate and threw to first.
- In the fifth, after the Barger run scored, Springer was on second. Lukes walked but Vlad struck out.
- In the seventh, Springer was hit on the knee with a pitch. He came out of the game. I hope he can play Sunday and Vlad was IWed again, but Kirk ground out.
I’m worried Springer won’t be back Sunday, but we’ll see. I’m sure they will share X-ray results soon.
Jays of the Day: Gausman (.155 WPA), Springer (.150), Varland (.141) and Kirk (.124)
Other Award: Little (-.482), Dominguez (-.232), Varsho (-.199, boy he looked lost at the plate today), and Gimenez (-.168).
We have Trey Yesavage going Sunday. Mariners have TBD listed.
