Timber... Jays bats support great pitching

Tuesday April 15, 2008 Jays v Baltimore.
End of road trip. Jays win 11-3 Marcum win and end road trip 4-1.
Bats come alive behind good pitching.

Very good: Marcum. And all of the bats and the fundamentals moving runner over and bringing him in.
Jays starters are now 7-2. AL best .778 average wining percentage.
Good: Bullpen. Carlson and Wolfe tonight.
Not so good : Leave 10 men on base (picky) and Alex's base runing.


Lineups: Jays. Eckstein, Hill, Rios, Wells, Thomas, Stairs, Overbay, Scutaro, Zaun with Marcum pitching. Wells and Thomas recognizing Jackie Robinson.
Baltimore: Roberts, Mora, Markakis, Millar, Scott, Payton, Ramon Hernandez, Jones wearing 42 for Jackie Robinson day, Luis Hernandez, and pitching Steve Trachsel. 6-0 lifetime v Jays.

Top 1st: Eckstein hit again, third time this season, they don’t miss Reed Johnson !, Hill at bat, Eckstein steals, Hill singles to LF, Eckstein to 3B, Rios grounds to 3B, Eckstein scores, 1-0. Hill out at 2B and Rios safe at 1B, good situational baseball to start game. Wells pops to shallow LF, two down. Thomas at bat, Rios caught stealing.
Bottom 1st: Roberts walks, Mora grounds to Eckstein at 3B drops ball but gets Roberts at 2B, Mora safe at 1B. Markakis dribbler to 1B, Mora to 2B, two down for Millar, flies to Rios in RF.

Top 2nd: Thomas left on base with Alex caught stealing in 1st, flies to RF. Stairs flies to LF, Overbay strikes out. Quick inning for Trachsel.
Bottom 2nd: Scott leadoff double to RF, Payton strikes out on three pitches, (R) Hernandez grounds to Scutaro, runner holds at 2B, Jones walks, (L) Hernandez grounds to 1B. Marcum gets out of trouble.

Top 3rd: Zaun walks, Scutaro singles to CF, Eckstein at bat, double steal, Zaun out at 3B, looks like missed hit and run, Eckstein singles to RF, Scutaro to 3B, Hill three run blast to LF, 4-0 Jays. Rios walks, Wells singles to LF, Thomas walks, bases loaded and Trachsel is suddenly out of there. I don’t think he will go 7-0 tonight. Aquino in for Trachsel, Stairs sac fly, Rios scores 5-0 Jays. Overbay walks, Zaun grounds to 2B leaving bases loaded. One of the best innings Jays have had for some time. This is what this lineup is capable of any day.
Bottom 3rd: Roberts grounds to Hill, Mora strikes out. Markakis HR to CF, 5-1. Millar flies out to CF.

Top 4th: Scutaro leadoff double to LF, Jays continue the bats, Eckstein bunts Scutaro to 3B, Hill hit on elbow, Rios with two on, lines to RF, Scutaro scores, 6-1. Hill to 3B, Rios out in rundown, bad base running Alex. Wells walks, Thomas flies to right centre wall. Hits and walks are killing Orioles pitching tonight.
Bottom 4th: Scott flies to RF, Payton grounds first pitch to Hill, R. Hernandez bouncer to 1B. Easy inning for Marcum.

Top 5th: Stairs grounds to 2B, Overbay pops up to 3B, Zaun walks, Scutaro flies to LF.
Bottom 5th: Marcum now 65 pitches. Jones HR to LF just inside foul pole. 6-2. Hernandez grounds to 2B, Roberts lines out to Rios, Mora grounds to Marcum. No harm done.

Top 6th: Eckstein lines to CF on for the third time, Hill strikes out, Rios grounds to SS, Eckstein safe at 2B, Rios also safe at 1B, everything is going right for Jays tonight. Wells singles over 2B, Eckstein scores 7-2, Rios at 2B. New pitcher. Randor Bierd.Thomas at bat, ball gets by catcher and both runners move up, one of those nights for Baltimore, Thomas singles to LF Rios scores 8-2, Stairs lines to RF, Wells scores, 9-2, Overbay strikes out, Zaun flies to CF. Five singles this inning and 12 hits so far in the game. 9-2 Jays.
Bottom 6th: Marcum on 73 pitches. Markakis strikes out, Millar grounds out to Hill,Scott lines single to LF, Payton strikes out.

Top 7th: Scutaro flies to RF, Eckstein flies out to CF, Inglett number to pitcher. Three up and down for a change.
Bottom 7th: R. Hernandez grounds out to Scutaro, Jones walks, L. Hernandez flies to LF, great running catch by Inglett now in LF. End of Marcum 103 pitches. Jesse Carlson in. Gibbons likes this guy. Roberts strikes out.

Top 8th: Rios grounds out to SS, just gets him at 1B, Wells now with .351 batting average, grounds to 3B, Thomas flies to RF.
Bottom 8th: Carlson still pitching. Mora leadoff HR to LF 9-3. All Baltimore runs have been single HR’s. Markakis singles to LF, Jesse in trouble but Gibbons leaves him in. Millar flies out to Wells, Scott flies out to Wells, and Carlson is finished. Nice pitching Jesse again. Wolfe now in Payton flies out to Rios.

Top 9th: Sarfate pitching. Johnny Mac flies out to shallow centre, Overbay excuse me double down 3B line, Lady luck is with Jays tonight. Zaun wild pitch Overbay to 3B, Zaun doubles half way up RF wall, would have been another home run to left. Overbay scores 10-3 Jays. Scutaro pops up to 3B, Eckstein singles and Zaun scores. 11-3. Eckstein safe at 2B. Inglett singles to LF, Eckstein to 3B. Rios strikes out.
Another excellent hitting inning for Jays. 16 hits tonight.
Bottom 9th: Wolfe pitching. Quiroz now catching (another ex-Jay ) grounds to Scutaro, Jones flies out to CF, Hernandez the same and this game is over.

Jays 11 runs on 16 hits and no errors. 6 walks and 10 left on base.
Orioles 3 runs on 6 hits and no errors