Jays win one. Lind-Rolen power show aided by McGowan

Sunday June 22, 2008. Series finale Toronto v Pittsburgh.

Jays really need to win this one to avoid going into eight game losing streak and 0-6road trip. There have been some good signs even in the last game in Milwaukee but they should have done better here in Pittsburgh.

Pitching: Snell 3-7, 5.84 ERA v McGowan. 5-5,4.15 ERA.

Lineups: Toronto. Scutaro, Inglett, Rios, Wells, Overbay, Rolen, Zaun, Lind and McGowan pitching and hitting.
Pittsburgh: Rivas, Wilson, McLouth, Bay, LaRoche, Michaels, Bautista, Chavez, Snell pitching and hitting.

Result: Toronto 8 Pittsburgh 5

The good: A win for a change. The bats today eleven hits. Inglett 3-4, Lind HR, Rolen HR. Rios and Overbay two hits. Jays bats coming back for four after Pirates tie it up 4-4.
The bad: McGowan’s fourth inning blowing a three run lead. Scutaro error on pop up. Rios picked off at 3B.

The game:
Top 1st: Scutaro at bat patience here, full count. And walks. Inglett bunting here and great bunt down 3B line, both safe. What’s going on here? Two on no outs? Rios now need a big one here to start off 3-1 here doubles to RF corner. Should score two. Scutaro in. Inglett held at 3B. 1-0 Jays. When did that last happen? Wells now gets hold one here deep into left centre Bay just gets this at track Inglett scores . 2-0 Jays. Overbay now can he keep line moving. Rios picked off at 3B,that is bad Alex. Two down here now. grounds out up the middle that would have scored Alex. The mental stuff hurts the Jays just as much. 20 pitch inning for Snell.
Bottom 1st: McGowan now pitching with the lead off Rivas, fly ball to Rios in RF corner. Wilson, singles to right. McLouth singles to centre Wells, On the fumble Wilson moves to 3B, and McLouth now to 2B on throw to 3B. Very aggressive base running here. Bay grounds to Scutaro scores Wilson. Bay out at 1B. McLouth moves to 3B. 2-1Jays. Two down. LaRoche fly ball to Lind in LF. 14 pitches.

Top 2nd: Rolen now lower down order today. Grounds out to 3B. Zaun in lineup today. Good patience here and walk. Adam Lind now, good to see him in there for Mench now sent to Syracuse. Singles into right field Zaun to 2B two on one down for McGowan. Good sac bunt by Dustin here moves both runners up. Scutaro now needs a single here, gets under one, fly ball to LF. Leaves two in scoring position. 37 pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Michaels at bat, fly ball to Wells in CF. Bautista, hard fly ball to Wells in CF. Chavez fly ball to Rios in RF. 23 pitches. Nine pitch inning for Dustin.

Top 3rd: Inglett at bat, singles up the middle second hit today. Rios now, can he make up for his error last at bat? strikes out. Wells now grounds to SS get Inglett at 2B but Wells safe at 1B. Overbay loops it into LF. Wells moves to 3B. Rolen now 3-1 count. Walks bases loaded. Zaun now with two outs. Grounds to 2B. Leaves bases loaded. As we all know over and over this season, Jays can get hitters on base, just cannot do anything with them. Already four left in scoring position last two innings. 59 pitches.
Bottom 3rd: The good is that Snell now has to lead off the inning now after a long top half. Snell strikes out. Rivas showing bunt, strikes out. Wilson singles up the middle. McLouth at bat, Wilson stealing and no throw. Grounds to Inglett. 42 pitches.

Top 4th: Lind at bat. 3-0 count. Full count, There she goes, Lind connects with this one great swing. HR to CF. 3-1 Jays. Scutaro walks. 76 pitches now for Snell. Inglett at bat singles to LF. 3-3 today. Scutaro to 2B. Rios now what can he do? Wild pitch moves both runners up, stay out of double play at least, plus sac fly will score. Full count now, walks bases loaded. 87 pitches. Wells can he break this one open? Sac fly to RF scores Scutaro 4-1 Jays. Inglett also moves to 3B. Overbay first pitch fly ball to LF. This is so painful watching the big bats. Rios walks, Wells sac fly and Overbay fly ball out. Where are the big hits? Clearing bases, grand slam hits. It is up to Lind and Inglett to do the damage. 92 pitches at least.
Bottom 4th: Bay at bat singles to LF. McGowan left that one up and that could have been costly. LaRoche singles to Rios in RF. Two on and no outs. Michaels at bat, McGowan needs some help here. Gets ground ball but through gap into RF and bases are loaded. Bautista at bat, here’s trouble lifts it into right corner, two runs score 4-3 Jays. And still no outs. Bautista at 1B. Michaels at 3B. Watch for small ball here to bring him in. Sanchez now on deck for Snell. Singles to RF. Bautista scores, this game is all tied up 4-4 and McGowan has blown this one. Arnsberg call to bullpen to get someone up. Sanchez pops up and McGowan diving for the ball in foul territory but can’t get it. Would have been great catch. Trainer and Manager out there. McGowan says he is ok. Still no outs and two on. Sanchez pops up again and this time Zaun dives to get it. One down. Finally an out. Rivas at bat. grounds to Rolen throw to 2B gets Chavez at 2B. Bautista moves to 3B, Rivas to first, Wilson pops up to Zaun but McGowan has blown this one. 69 pitches.

Top 5th: Jays hitters have to start all over again. T. J Beam pitching. His first major league appearance since 2006. Rolen at bat, Beam hits him. Zaun at bat, grounds to 3B double play ball. Gaston will have to start sending the runners at 1B this is ridiculous with all the double plays balls this team has had. Lind now at bat 2-2 today. Full count. Walks, nice at bat from Lind, showing up the first team. McGowan now good hit but fly ball to RF corner.
Bottom 5th: McLouth at bat singles to RF McGowan is fooling nobody right now. Bay at bat McLouth steals throw weak and late. Walks anyway. Two on no outs, How much longer for this guy? Frasor up in bullpen. LaRoche grounds to Overbay, Inglett throw to 2B gets one, runners on corners again one out. Michaels at bat lines hard to Rolen great catch diving to his left. Two down. Bautista at bat grounds to Rolen throw to 1B. McGowan escapes bigtime again.

Top 6th: Top of the order again. Scutaro at bat. full count. Walks. Will he steal though? I doubt it. Inglett 3-3 now, showing bunt. Good bunt up 1B line. Moves Scutaro to 2B. Rios at bat. That’s it for Beam. Osoria now pitching. Singles to right centre. Scutaro had to hold for catch but now moves to 3B. Wells with one out and Scutaro at 3B. Dribbler to the pitcher. Rios moves to 2B. That’s it. Two down for Overbay doubles off the wall in centre left. Scutaro scores, Rios scores . 6-4 Jays. Rolen now with Overbay at 2B. YES Scott. There it goes. HR to LF two runs Overbay and Rolen score. 8-4 Jays. Zaun at bat fly ball out to RF. Jays have eleven hits.
Bottom 6th: Jays have to hold this one now. Frasor now in… stay tuned here. Chavez at bat. fly ball shallow left centre Scutaro drops it. Chris Gomez at bat. Singles to right. Two on again, Scutaro’s error could hurt bigtime here. Rivas at bat. Wild pitch, runners move up now he is in very deep. Grounds to Inglett, Rivas out at 1B, run scores 8-5 Jays. Wilson at bat runner Gomez at 3B. Fly ball to shallow right Rios, not running on Alex here. Two down. That’s it for Frasor, Jesse Carlson now in. Did not pitch well yesterday. Only need one here though. McLouth at bat pop up to Rolen. Jays escape major damage again. Scutaro should be thanking the baseball gods.

Top 7th: Lind at bat, gets hold of it but long fly ball out in LF. Wilkerson pinch hitting for Carlson. Strikes out looking. Not a very good at bat to impress your new boss. Scutaro at bat long fly ball out to RF. Three up and down and not a good hitting display, but that is why they now have three new coaches.
Bottom 7th: Downs now pitching. Bay at bat grounds to Scutaro at SS gets Bay at 1B. LaRoche at bat grounds out to Inglett at 2B. Two down. Michaels at bat grounds back at Downs, glove knocks it down and able to recover and throw out Michaels. Great play by Downs there to help himself.

Top 8th: Yates now pitching. The heart of order now. Inglett perfect on base today. Strikes out looking here. Rios 2-3 today. Fly ball out to right centre. Wells at bat two sac fly RBIs today, grounds out to 2B.
Bottom 8th: Morgan pinch hitting, shows bunt. Grounds back to Downs. Chavez at bat fly ball to Wells in CF. Gomez strikes out.

Top 9th: Burnett (not AJ) now pitching. Overbay grounds back to Burnett. Rolen much more patient here, full count and now walks. Zaun fly ball to Bay in LF. Rolen holds at 1B. Eckstein now pinch hitting for Downs, Cito is really using up his bench here but good opportunity to see what he has to work with. Although of course he has been watching this team all season and also worked with some of them in Dunedin. Eckstein very patient here as usual. Full count and another walk by Burnett. Two on with Rolen at 2B. Can Wilkerson now bring him in? Strikes out. This guy has been a bust for most of his time with Jays so far.
Bottom 9th: Here we go… Can Ryan save this one and Jays hold on to salvage one win form this terrible week? Rivas at bat fly ball to Rios. One down. Keep going BJ. Wilson at bat. Pops this one up to Scutaro at SS. Two down. McLouth at bat, strikes out. Ryan no nonsense here today. Not even giving them a base.
Jays win this one 8-5. McGowan goes to 6-5 and Ryan gets his save number fifteen.
They break that losing streak and get out of Pittsburgh for home cooking. Too bad in one respect that tomorrow is day off.
However Jays have to prepare for Cincinatti and Mr. 600 Home runs Griffey. I t will not be an easy series as the Reds have just taken two of three from Yankees in New York. Jays did play them in Dunedin so have seen them before.

Other good news Baltimore and Rays both lose. Jays have a long way to go though to close the gap but will take this one as a start on that long road.