Jays win second in a row.

Friday May 2nd 2008 Jays v Chicago White Sox.

This game will be big test of Jays whether or not they have been getting back to normalcy in last three games which I think they have.
These two teams are so similar in terms of their hitting woes. Unfortunately though, Chicago is top of their Division.

Jays win 2-0.

Recap: Marcum takes this one into the seventh, bulpen cntinues and saves. Stewart has the two rbis in clutch hitting, Vernon continues his warmer bat, Johnny Mac highlight reel, and Rolen streeak now seven in a row.

The very good: Marcum and bullpen.
The good: Stewart’s clutch two rbis hit with two on and two down. Vernon is in a good groove with bat. Johnny Mac fielding. Rolen again hitting and fielding.
The bad: I have to say it, 4th inning two in scoring position with no outs, and not scoring. Plus a little laziness in hitting in several three up three down innings but give some credit to Buehrle.

Lineups:
Chicago: Swisher, Cabrera, Thome, Dye, Pierzynski, Quentin, Crede, Anderson, Uribe, and Buehrle pitching
Toronto: Rios, Hill, Rolen, Wells, Stewart, Overbay , Zaun, Lind, McDonald and Marcum pitching.

The game:
Top 1st: Swisher fly ball to Lind, one down. Cabrera strikes out, Thome walks, Dye one example of what I said about similarities with Jays hitters. Dye in number 4 position 2-20 so similar to Wells, same problems, strikes out.
Bottom 1st: Buehrle pitching, Rios lines to Cabrera, drops it, but throw to 1B gets Rios. Hill strikes out, Rolen at bat grounds to 3B, error on throw to Swisher, Rolen safe. Wells first pitch swinging ground rule double into crowd in RF, I told you he was getting there, two on in scoring position, Stewart full count, grounds single up the middle, two runs score GREAT….. 2-0 Jays. Overbay keep it going Lyle, strikes out. Jays ahead 2-0.

Top 2nd: Pierzynski fly ball to Wells in CF, Quentin at bat, strikes out, third strike out for Marcum, Crede pops up to Zaun. Quick inning for Marcum, good to keep Sox quiet after going ahead in top of inning.
Bottom 2nd: Zaun lines catch to 2B, Lind strikes out, McDonald at bat, grounds to SS.

Top 3rd: Anderson strikes out, Uribe, fly ball to Rios, Swisher, strike out. Marcum’s fifth of the game already.
Bottom 3rd: Rios, grounds to Cabrera same as 1st, Hill, first pitch dribbler back to Buehrle that was awful Aaron, Rolen grounds hard to 3B. Three up and down this time.

Top 4th: Cabrera singles up the middle one on, Thome, careful Shawn, full count, strikes out. Dye, strikes out. Pierzynski, strikes out. Strikes out the side eight strike outs now for Marcum. Outstanding.
Bottom 4th: Wells singles up the middle, two for two tonight, he is getting there. Stewart singles to RF, Vernon in at 3B, great throw by Anderson to 3B, if it had been lower he would have had Vernon, but missing cut- off means that Stewart also at 2B, two in scoring position. Overbay strikes out, now 0-11 against Buehrle and seven strikeouts, so question is why is he starting today against Buehrle? Zaun strikes out, Lind grounds to 1B. That is terrible. Two in scoring position with no outs … and no score. NOT good.

Top 5th: Quentin grounds to SS, Crede flies to LF, Anderson grounds to Johnny Mac great save and throw to get him. Another good inning for Marcum.
Bottom 5th: Bats need to get going. McDonald. Grounds to SS, Rios again 0-2 tonight, high fly ball to Anderson, Hill long overdue, 0-2 tonight, strikes out.

Top 6th: Buehrle 75 Marcum 70 pitches. Uribe pops up to Rolen, Swisher hot drive to 1B, Overbay dive to his right, two down. Cabrera loops one to shallow LF, Thome strikes him out. Thome disagrees. Nine strikeouts for Marcum.
Bottom 6th: Rolen singles to RF, Wells singles up the middle, not quite, Cabrera great play to get ball, shovels it with his glove to 2B and on to 1B to get Wells. Gold glove play that. Stewart fly ball to RF.

Top 7th: Dye, high pop up first pitch to Hill, Pierzynski fly ball to Wells, Quentin walks him on four pitches. Crede full count, Marcum tiring ??? walks him, back to back walks. That’s it. Captain Hook…. Gibbons out, Accardo in, I think Marcum hit the wall there. Anderson full count, walks him. Bases loaded. Uribe fly ball to Rios to end inning. Accardo escapes.
Bottom 7th: Buehrle still pitching, Overbay grounds to 2B. Zaun grounds to SS two down. Lind at bat, time to break out Adam, long fly ball to CF. Very quick inning for Buehrle.

Top 8th: Camp, Carlson or remain with Accardo ? Poor Carlson, Gibbons is really using him hard. Swisher grounds to 3B, one down. Cabrera lines at 3B, Rolen knocks it down, Johnny Mac retrieves and great throw to get Cabrera, two down. Thome strikes out. Carlson great inning helped by Rolen and Johnny Mac. But that’s what good pitchers do, put it in play…
Bottom 8th: Need some extra runs here friends. McDonald, fly ball to RF, Rios strikes out, lazy swing there Alex. Hill grounds to 1B. Not a good inning from Jays bats.

Top 9th: Does Carlson stay in? or will Camp start? Mr. Percentages goes with Camp. Save situation here. Dye strikes out. That’s it for Camp. Captain Hook playing percentages again, lefty Downs to face lefty Pierzynski. It will be good to see Ryan coming out of that bullpen back to back nights but not yet. I am sure the rest of the bullpen will also be happy ! Best guess is the one year date of his surgery later this month. Grounds to 1B, two down. Quentin full count here, grounds to Rolen. That’s the game with throw to 1B.

Jays win 2-0.

Downs save number two, Marcum win, and Jays shut out another team back to back nights.
Eighteen innings now without opponent scoring a run. That is great pitching once again backed by great defence. Four great consecutive starts by Jays pitchers.