The Blue Jays are starting to run out of time if they want to make the playoffs. It’s looking more and more likely if the Jays are going to make the post season, it’ll have to be through one of the wild card spots. This week they had 3 games in Detroit and then the Jays welcomed the Baltimore Orioles for a 3 game series.
Game 1: Jays 1 – 2 Tigers
Both starting pitchers in the opener went a solid 6 innings. Both Steven Matz and Matt Manning only gave up 1 run in their starts. Vladdy Guerrero knocked in his 91st RBI of the season in the 3rd, and Miggy Cabrera tied the game at 1 with an RBI in the 4th. The difference in this game would be Victor Reyes homering off of Tim Mayza in the bottom of the 8th inning, and the Jays would drop game 1.
Game 2: Jays 3 – 2 Tigers
Even though the Jays offense would continue to struggle, it was enough to get them through this game. Toronto took a 2-0 lead going into the 7th thanks to a Bo Bichette RBI, and a solo home run from Alejandro Kirk. Alek Manoah was solid through 6 innings, but he couldn’t get through the 7th. He would allow an RBI single to Jeimer Candelario, and Trevor Richards couldn’t get out of the inning before the Tigers tied the game at 2. This game needed extras, but unbelievably, the Jays actually won it. Corey Dickerson came through with the clutch RBI single, and Jordan Romano came in to close it out.
Game 3: Jays 2 – 1 Tigers
In the battle of two struggling offenses, the Blue Jays came out on top for the second straight game. Toronto scored a run in the 1st and in the 4th, both curtesy of the long ball. Bo Bichette solo shot in the 1st, and Kevin Smith hit his first home run of his career in the 4th. Jose Berrios had his best outing as a Blue Jay going 7 innings, striking out 11 batters, and the only run that scored on him was unearned. Adam Cimber and Tim Mayza shut the door the rest of the way, and Toronto would win the series.
Jays Series Standout:
I’ll give this one to Jose Berrios. He was able to shake off recent performances and play the way Jays fans had hoped he would when the club acquired him.
Game 1: Jays 7 – 3 Orioles
The Jays fell behind early when Ryan Mountcastle hit a solo HR off of Robbie Ray to make it 1-0. Vladdy Guerrero Jr got that run back in the 4th with his 37th HR of the season. Robbie Ray settled down after the 1st and pitched really well the rest of the game. He went 7 innings, only allowing 2 runs, and striking out 10. With the score 2-1 Baltimore in the 6th, the Toronto bats finally woke up. A single by Bo Bichette tied the game at 2, then Teoscar Hernandez knocked in 2 more with a double to make it 4-2. Vladdy would then put the game out of reach with his 2nd bomb of the game, this time a 3-run shot. The O’s added 1 more in the 9th before Jordan Romano closed the game out, earning his 14th save.
Game 2: Jays 2 – 4 Orioles
The Jays continued the long ball in this game, but unfortunately they couldn’t string enough hits together. Danny Jansen and Guerrero Jr both had solo home runs for the Jays, but the 6th inning was the problem for Hyun Jin Ryu. Ryu cruised through 5 innings before giving up 3 in the 6th, and wouldn’t be able to get out of the inning and left after 5 2/3. Baltimore would add another run in the top of the 7th, and the Jays couldn’t answer, and they fell 4-2 in game 2.
Game 3: Jays 5 – 4 Orioles
The rubber match was a back and forth ball game that saw the Jays take the lead in the 1st thanks to a Marcus Semien solo home run. Steven Matz went 5 innings, and the 2 runs he allowed both came to bases loaded walks in the 2nd inning. The Blue Jays took a 4-2 lead in the 4th with another 3 run inning. An RBI single from Teo Hernandez, and a single from Lourdes Gurriel Jr that scored 2. Tayler Saucedo and Joakim Soria each allowed a run in the 6th and 7th inning tying the game at 4. The deciding play was a sac fly by Randel Grichuk in the bottom of the 8th to give Toronto to 5-4 lead. Jordan Romano saved his 2nd game of the series, and the Jays have won back-to-back series.
Jays Series Standout:
The series standout here is Vladdy Guerrero. He had 3 home runs in the series, and hopefully that bat catches fire for the end of season push.
With 30 games remaining, it doesn’t look like Jays will be catching Tampa Bay, but are only 4.5 games back of the Red Sox for the second wild card spot. Next up for Toronto is a 3 game series with the Oakland A’s, then a HUGE 4 game series with the Yankees.
You can catch every inning of Toronto Blue Jays baseball on Rogers Sportsnet, and check in here weekly at Hot Sauce Sports for the breakdown.
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Here is the latest episode of the Chtib and Zhang show, where the boys focus in on the big news around Montreal this week, the Jesperi Kotkaniemi contract situation.