SWEEP of the Twins in extra innings.

Thursday May 15th 2008 Series ender Toronto v Minnesota

Jays going for the series sweep and four win streak on the road. BUT Twins have Perkins in only his second major league start. His first was five days ago against Boston which he lost. You just know they will have problems with him.

Jays win this in eleven 3-2. and sweep Minnesota in Twin Cities. Huge win.


The very good: definitely Jays bullpen to close Twins down after McGowan left.
The good: Joe Inglett pinch hit single in 11th to win this one. May have played his way onto this team. Alex yes has a gold star today for his rbi single to get this one going. Rolen always but his rbi and also clutch double in the 10th.
The bad: I’m sorry but I have to say McGowan today. The control was not there and the number of walks is far too many. He has a real problem right now. Once again runners in scoring position until the 11th .

Lineups: Toronto: Wilkerson, Hill, Rios, Rolen, Overbay, Stewart, Barajas, Scutaro and McGowan pitching
Twins: Tolbert, Harris, Kubel, Morneau, Cuddyer, Monroe, Young, Redmond, Everett and Perkins in only his second major league start. His first was five days ago against Boston which he lost.

Top 1st: Wilkerson strikes out. Hill strikes out. Rios now with average sinking around .250. Pops up to Morneau at 1B. Not a great start here friends.
Bottom 1st: McGowan pitching. Tolbert grounds to Hill at 2B. Harris strikes out. Kubel grounds out to McGowan.

Top 2nd: Rolen singles to CF. Scott Rolen has been a great asset to this team even with his injury time. Mench in lineup today fly ball to Cuddyer in RF, Rolen has to hold. One down. Stewart strikes out. Overbay walks, Rolen moves to 2B. Two down two on and one in scoring position for first time in game. Barajas playing in place of Zaun day game after night ?? Grounds to Tolbert at 3B. Jays are off to their usual tricks with runners in scoring position.
Bottom 2nd: Morneau pops up to Overbay. Cuddyer grounds to Rolen at 3B. Monroe walks. This is what killed McGowan last time. Young now free swinger, should be interesting. McGowan hits him on the back of his hand, that would hurt. Two on now, two outs. Redmond playing today grounds to Rolen. McGowan out of a jam.

Top 3rd: Scutaro still in there at SS but both McDonald and Eckstein in the dugout today. Also taking batting practice and fielding today. Due date is the 21st although they may have a couple of rehab games next week. I don’t think they will hold Johnny Mac back for any pinch hitting. Of course sac bunts may be viable option. Scutaro now fly ball to Young. One down. Wilkerson singles to LF. One on again. Hill full count now, easy Aaron. Walks. Two on. Toronto a little more patient today. Rios, poor Alex… Gibons has the runners going here. YES. Rios singles to RF. That will help…. Wilkerson scores 1-0. Hill goes all way to 3B. Rolen now up. Could be big inning here. Grounds to Harris they get Alex at 2B but cannot turn double play and Hill scores. 2-0 Jays. Mench now with Rolen at 1B. Pops up to 2B. But Jays have given McGowan a 2-0 lead to work with.
Bottom 3B. Everett pops up to Scutaro at SS. One down. Tolbert no, another walk. This guy is fast, Dustin had better hold him. Tolbert goes and steals, Barajas throw to SS side. Harris fly ball to CF. Tolbert tags and moves to 3B. Kubel now dangerous hitter. No McGowan walks him. Second walk of the inning and three in the game so far. Not good. Wild pitch now gets past Barajas and here comes Tolbert. One walk already hurting. 2-1 Jays with Morneau at bat. McGowan playing with fire this inning. Full count now to Morneau he will pitch around him. Walks him semi- intentional I think. Three walks in the inning. But Cuddyer can also hit so he is not out of it. Cuddyer fly ball to Wilkerson. McGowan escapes this time but pitch count rising and he is also flirting with danger with this hitting team. He can’t walk this number. More work in the bullpen between starts next week. Eleven walks in two games. Ouch.

Top 4th: Stewart nice start, single to CF. Overbay now, strikes out. Barajas another single this time to RF, are they getting to Perkins? Two on one down. Stewart all the way to 3B. Must bring him in this time.Sutaro no, pops up to Morneau. Wilkerson’s turn. Gets a good hit but fly ball to Cuddyer. That would have scored Stewart of it had been batter before. Instead yet another opportunity wasted with runners in scoring position.
Bottom 4th: Monroe grounds out to Scutaro. Monroe same play grounds to Scutaro, Two quick outs for McGowan this inning. He needs them for his pitch count. Redmond fly ball to Rios. Three up and down for McGowan. That’s more like it.

Top 5th: Top of order again. Hill pops up to Everett playing SS. Rios strikes out, Alex can’t buy much at all. Rolen gets hold of it but fly ball to Cuddyer. Three up and down for Perkins as well.
Bottom 5th: Everett walks. This is awful pitching by McGowan today. Five more walks to add to his season total. Tolbert strikes out. Harris singles to LF. Everett moves up to 2B. Kubel strikes out. Two down but here comes Morneau and with runners in scoring position. Doubles to RF, he doesn’t give up gifts very often. McGowan has himself to blame. Everett scores. This game is tied 2-2. Harris to 3B but out on the throw trying to get that extra base and score. Nice relay from Hill.

Top 6th: Mench strikes out. Stewart grounds out to SS Everett. Two down. Overbay now, grounds out to Morneau.
Bottom 6th: Jason Frasor now in. McGowan will get no decision today but is definitely lucky the way he pitched.. Cuddyer fly ball to Wilkerson. One down. Monroe doubles this one to CF. Young grounds to Scutaro. Monroe to 3B. Frasor has the habit of making it all look so difficult and is painful to watch for me at least. Redmond now full count. Frasor gets so nervous with runners on, walks him now. Two on. Everett pops to Overbay. The Jays disease is spreading to the Twins today, leaving runners on and in scoring position.

Top 7th: Guerrier now in. Let’s hope Jays bats can do better than against Perkins. Barajas at bat, pops up to Everett. One down. Scutaro, yes a single to CF. One on one down for the top of the order again. Wilkerson NO !!! lines to Monroe and throw to Morneau at 1B gets Scutaro, double play ball. Scutaro may have been too optimistic there. Bottom line another chance ruined.
Bottom 7th: Tolbert lines out to Scutaro. One down. Harris fly ball to Rios. Two down for Frasor. Here comes Captain Hook…. Tallet now in. Kubel singles to CF. Morneau singles to LF. But Kubel out trying to stretch that one and Scutaro throw gets him at the plate. Twins are certainly aggressive on the bases. Jays escape another.

Top 8th: Hill strikes out. Rios now new pitcher Alex…. Strikes out. Problem is everyone feels so sorry for Alex but sorrow doesn’t help anyone here. Rolen pops to shortstop Everett. Jays bats are hitting sand here today.
Bottom 8th: Benitez in now. His debut earlier this series was not that happy with the HR first pitch. That’s better. Cuddyer pops up to Rolen. Monroe now. Lines to Hill. Two down. Young, yes grounds out to Hill. Much better for Benitez. I imagine that JP and John Gibbons were watching very closely. It would be huge boost to have Benitez pitching well and adding another power to that bullpen to supplement BJ Ryan. However one swallow does not make a summer. But encouraging to see this today.

Top 9th: Mench pop up to Morneau, one down. Stewart now, single to 3B, but error by Tolbert enables Stewart to get to 2B Jays will take any good luck they can get. BUT the problem is who can or will bring him in if anyone ??? One on one down. Reyes now in to pitch. Serious stuff here. Overbay, NO, strikes out. Stewart still at 2B. Barajas turn now, grounds out to 1B. Some time soon, Jays will be attempting suicide squeezes to get a run in.
Bottom 9th: Jays playing with fire in this one. Redmond at bat, swinging, fly ball to Wilkerson in RF. One down. Mauer now pinch hitting for Everett. Here comes Jesse Carlson. Yes, Mauer grounds one back to Carlson. Two down. Can this one go to extra innings ???? Tolbert now at bat. Lines one to Rolen. This one IS going to extra innings. Nice clutch pitching by Carlson yet again. What a find he has been.

Top 10th. Now bats, don’t let this one get away. Finish it here and let’s get BJ Ryan into the game. Gardenhire makes defensive changes. Lamb is in at 3B. Tolbert moves to SS. Mauer stays in as catcher for Redmond and Gomez is already in earlier for Monroe at CF. Joe Nathan pitching. All the big guns now. Stairs also pinch hitting for Scutaro. Not this time Matt, strikes out. Back to top of order now. Wilkerson strikes out. Two down. Hill at bat. Need a hit here Aaron….. Thank you… singles to CF. Now Alex no pressure here…. Grounds out to Lamb, leaves Aaron on. Does Alex have any average now ??
Bottom 10th: Velandia now in at SS as Stairs pinch hit for Scutaro. Carlson still pitching no time for Ryan yet. Harris grounds out to Rolen. One down. Kubel now. Singles to CF. Not good. First hit off Jesse today. Casilla now in as pinch runner for Kubel, this is the run that counts now. Morneau at bat ever dangerous and can end it right here. YES. Jesse, gets him Strikes him out, that was huge. Here comes Captain Hook, Jesse has done his job. Camp now has to hold it here. Gibbons has used six pitchers today. Cuddyer at bat two down. 3-0 Not good here. Come on Camp. Too late, four pitch walk. Runner now at 2B. Your options are getting less. Gomez at bat. Fly ball to Mench in LF. Breathe again friends.

Top 11th: Nathan gone but Crain now in pitching. Scott Rolen YES Sir… doubles this one to RF. NOW if Jays bats can’t get him in they are really, really in deep trouble. Mench, NO! grounds it back to Crain. Rolen has to hold. THE worst thing Mench could do. Now Stewart I guess the second worst thing a batter can do. Lines it to SS. Jays really don’t want this one. Rolen should be ripping them up and down after this. Overbay at bat, they are walking him. Two on but pretty good chances for Twins. Zaun now pinch hitting for Barajas. Zaun walks.. Nice at bat Gregg. Bases loaded. Right get hit by the ball, suicide bunt, SOMETHING please Velandia ..No not Velanfdai , Joe Inglett in…..Gibbons playing the orchestra here. Joe’s the man..YES sir… base hit finally. Finally….. hit to LF scores Rolen who has been out therall afternoon. This games is 3-2 Jays. Overbay at 3B. Zaun at 2B. Inglett at 1B. for Wilkerson. Grounds out to 1B. This game is full of if only’s and buts today. However BJ Ryan finally has the lead, can he hold the Twins here?

Bottom 11th: Zaun now catching and Inglett at SS. Ryan pitching. Young at bat grounds out to Inglett. One down. Lamb at bat. Strikes out. Two down. Mauer now ever dangerous. Singles to CF. Come on BJ we don’t need this suspense today. Tolbert now at bat, grounds out to Inglett on to Overbay at 1B. This game is OVER. Jays win and SWEEP Twins in the twin cities. This is HUGE.

Jays had ten hits today but the best one was Inglett’s single in the 11th to win this one. Ryan gets his seventh save. Shawn Camp takes the win. And Jesse Crain takes the loss. It took seven pitchers but they finally got it done.

Jays now 21-22 only one game under .500 again. If Yankees lose today and they are in 3rd inning then they are tied with Jays for 4th spot. Kennedy already losing and having rough time with bases loaded.