Lind and Johnny Mc win this one big for Jays tonight

Jays v Orioles Game two of four. Tuesday July 22, 2008.

It is after a game like last night’s that you realize why so many people love baseball and why it is the American national game.
Baseball is a game of dreams and hope. Last night every Jays fan went to bed upset, furious, disappointed, vowing never to watch again. But a funny thing happens by the time lunch rolls around on the next day fans start to think about tonight’s game and hope, wish and anticipate. Will tonight’s game be THE game? This is why there are 162 games in a season, quite a ridiculous number when you think about it and that is just for the non-play off teams.

But the longer the season, the greater the hope. This is the American psyche and many others around the world watching this game and their team even thought the odds are hopeless, just wishing and hoping that tonight will be the night of the grand slam, the perfect game and the six run comeback in the ninth. How else can you describe the Boston fans waiting for 90 years for a championship ? I won’t go to the Toronto hockey scene this is a baseball blog after all.

But tonight is a new night. Marcum is back and Jays have their hopes on show, you know deep down that they don’t enjoy losing and being bottom of the division.
Let’s sit back and enjoy and perhaps tonight is the night the big run starts. After all we don’t forget the May and how the Jays went 20-10… do we ?

Olson pitching. (6-5, 5.79 ERA) v Marcum (5-4,.265 ERA)
Lineups: Toronto: Eckstein, Scutaro, Rios, Barajas, Overbay, Rolen, Lind, Mench, McDonald, and Marcum pitching.
Baltimore: Roberts, Jones, Markakis, Huff, Mora, Scott, Millar, Hernandez, Castro and Olsen pitching.

Result: Jays win a squeaker 10-8 but it is a much needed W and a much needed ego booster.

The very good: Lind 5-5 and bottom of the order hitters Johnny Mc with four RBI night. The Bullpen. And Jays never gave up coming back from 0-4 score and again 6-7. Heart tonight.

The good: Ten runs for first time since June 24 v Cincinatti, a long time.
The bad: Rios, Scutaro at bats and bases loaded hitters or lack of. Alex does redeem himself with his HR but I would still love to see him use his head more. Scutaro leaves five on.

Top 1st: Eckstein leading off, is the DH tonight to get him in there, singles here to RF nice start. Scutaro at bat, grounds to Roberts throw to 2B gets lead runner Eckstein but at least no chance for double play. Rios now at bat, one on and one down. Gets hold of it but under the ball and high fly ball out to Scott in LF. Two down. Barajas at bat grounds out weakly to Mora throw to 2B gets Scutaro. Wasted leadoff single. Cito has to start to be more aggressive on the bases to get this team fired up. 16 pitches.
Bottom 1st: Will Orioles hitters be patient against Marcum tonight knowing that he has 65-70 pitch count. No second pitch pop up to Lind in shallow left one down. Jones at bat, hits him in the back. One on one down, Markakis at bat, there it goes, deep into RF , two run Home run and Baltimore gets out early 2-0. This is the fifth HR off Marcum by Markakis going 8-16. Not quite the start Marcum had hoped for. Huff at bat one down, strikes out on three pitches, two down. Mora at bat. Lifts this one into CF Rios. 15 pitches.

Top 2nd: Can Jays hitters break out tonight and at least give Marcum some support here? Overbay at bat, grounds weakly to Roberts throw to Millar at 1B one down. Rolen at bat one down, gets under this one and lazy fly ball out to Jones in CF. Two down and Lind at bat. Yes Adam singles into CF past a diving Roberts. This kid has been a great asset this time around. Kevin Mench at bat playing RF tonight. Nice at bat by Mench here fouling off pitch after pitch to the right and now doubles into LF corner. Both runners in scoring position for Johnny Mc. 3-0 count, now walks on four to load bases. Two very good thinking at bats by Jays number eight and nine hitters. Now Eckstein can he single here? Grounds to Mora, steps on 3B to get Mench sliding. Long inning for Olsen 42 pitches but leaves the bases loaded.
Bottom 2nd: Scott at bat, walks, Millar at bat, lines this one to Rios in CF, Alex seem s to misjudge it but gets it at the wall. One down, one on for Hernandez strikes out, nice pitch for Marcum, two down, Castro at bat, taps a bouncer to Marcum , nice leap to get ball and throw him out at 1B. No damage here this inning. 28 pitches.

Top 3rd: Top of the order again for Jays. Scutaro first pitch swing fly ball out to RF. One down. Rios at bat, also first pitch swing weakly to Roberts what’s wrong with this guy? He never ever uses his head. Two pitches two outs, this is NOT acceptable Cito. Barajas now has to take first strike whether he wants to or not, a little more patient at bat here now a fly ball out to Jones in CF. At least he took six pitches to do it. If the bottom of the order can do it then the professional hitters should be able to. There is no excuse for not thinking each at bat through. And when you have a $65 million contract there are many more reasons to do so. 50 pitches.
Bottom 3rd: Roberts at bat, great catch here by Johnny MC leaps to get Roberts here, one down. That could have been a leadoff double. Jones grounds to Rolen cannot handle it maybe error on this. Markakis at bat, walks semi-intentional. Huff now with two on and one down. Lifts this one into shallow CF, bases loaded one down. Mora at bat doubles off the wall in RF two runs score, 4-0 Baltimore, Scott at bat, intentional walk to load them up again and face Millar. Pops up to Lind in shallow LF. Two down. Hernandez at bat with bases still loaded. Lines out to Scutaro. 48 pitches.

Top 4th: It would be nice to see this team get some runs, the pitchers must be so disheartened. Overbay at bat, grounds weakly to Roberts 2B, one down. Rolen now the goat of last inning, 3-0 count, loops it into RF corner, one on one down, Lind at bat singles again into RF, two on now one down. Second hit for Adam tonight. Averaging a hit a game. Would the rest of the team could say that. Mench now at bat, 3-1 count, again patience at bat, Rios and Scutaro can learn something here. Walks bases loaded. All three Jays hitters thinking here at bats. McDonald at bat base loaded for him. Gets it high fly ball out to RF scores Rolen from 3B, 4-1 Baltimore and Eckstein with two on and two down. Lind at 3B, Eckstein sac bunt a great bunt and safe at 1B but Lind goes back to keep bases loaded. Now Scutaro has chance to redeem his last at bat, 3-1 count. Pops it up into LF and Scott gets the catch. Jays leave bases loaded yet again. Scutaro is not having a good game at bat tonight.
Bottom 4th: Castro lines first pitch into CF, Rios catch. One down. Roberts at bat, lines second pitch out to Lind in LF. Three pitches two outs, this is what Marcum needs tonight. Jones at bat, full count after 0-2 count, singles to Mench in RF. Markakis at bat, 0-2 again. grounds to Rolen, throw to Overbay third out. Good inning for Marcum. 12 pitches. should be up to 62 maybe one more inning ? Wolfe was optioned to Syracuse to make room for Marcum I would have preferred to see League and/or Frasor go instead, at leaser Wolfe can pitch more than one inning and they will need that tonight with Marcum on pitch count. Good is that both League and Frasor pitched last night.

Top 5th: Rios at bat takes one for a change. 3-0 count. Yes finally gets hold of one and HR number six just creeps over that low wall in LF almost a line drive. 4-2 Baltimore. And of course very Jays fan wishes that had been last inning with all those bases loaded at bats. Ah well. Take one. Barajas at bat grounds to Mora at 3B, throw to 1B one down. Overbay hit on his elbow. One on one down. Rolen now at bat, strikes out. looked high inside. Lind 2-2 tonight, 100 pitches already for Olsen. Full count for Adam, doubles it into RF centre, Overbay was running and gets to 3B. Lind 3-3 tonight and all three at bats have been excellent. Now base hit will score two. Mench at bat, with two down and two on. 3-0 count, now intentional ball four to get to McDonald with bases loaded. YES INDEED Johnny Mc. Golfs this one to LF, just misses going out and a grand slam, off the wall and three runs score. Jays are WINNING this one. 5-4 Jays and four runs to Johnny Mc. That’s it for Olsen. Cabrera pitching. Stairs 1-14 in last four games now pinch hitting for Eckstein, 3-0 count. Full count now, Johnny Mc will be running. AND Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus, Matt singles this to LF, Johnny Mc scores. 6-4 Jays. Scutaro at bat, wild swing pops it up to RF. Horrible Marco. What is wrong with this guy tonight? Three awful at bats. Prove me wrong before the end of this one Marco. You of all people.
Bottom 5th: Huff at bat doubles off the wall in CF. Mora at bat, OH NO Shawn….. Mora gets hold of this one to left centre and this is a two run HR to tie this game up 6-6. Scott with no outs strikes out on three pitches. Number three tonight for Marcum. Millar at bat, Marcum at 70 pitches. Full count. Pops it up to McDonald. Two down. Hernandez at bat high fly ball into RF corner and another HR, just inside the foul pole. 7-6 Baltimore. Castro bounces one up the middle past McDonald. That’s it for Shawn, not the best outing but still good to see Marcum back pitching and at least he had some hits to help him. Carlson now with two down and one on. Roberts at bat lines it to Rios in CF.

Top 6th: Jays can come back here. Alex now at bat, was the last one a one off? Gets hold of it but fly ball out to CF. Barajas at bat, swinging and missing badly here. Strikes out looking foolish on that one. Overbay at bat, singles up the middle, nice compact swing. Rolen at bat two down one on, full count. Walks on ball inside. Two on two down for Lind, 3-3 already tonight. Can he get that fourth hit? Tough to ask the guy he has only just been called up 22 games ago. That’s it for Cabrera, Alberta Castillo now pitching. WOWEEEE, Yes, he can, Adam gets hold of this one HR to RF corner, three runs score, 9-7 Jays. Lind for President, is 4-4 tonight….. Mench at bat, strikes out but this game is back in Jays corner now, Can they hold on here?
Bottom 6th: Jones at bat, singles to CF. Markakis at bat with one on, YES very nice, grounds to Overbay throw to Johnny MC back to Overbay, excellent double play. Two down for Huff pops up first pitch to Johnny Mc, and that’s the inning.
Top 7th: Can Jays add to this hitfest tonight? twelve hits tonight already and nine runs, long time since they had ten (June 24th) McDonald at bat has had great night at the bat as well as his usual fielding. Pops this one up to Roberts at 2B. One down for Stairs at bat, still in there even with lefty pitching. Full count and now fly ball out to Castro in shallow left centre. Scutaro at bat, 0-4 tonight and has left five hitters on base, he has had horrible night. 0-5 fly ball out to Jones in CF. He definitely wants to go home.
Bottom 7th: Shawn Camp pitching he has to hold it for Downs in the 8th and BJ in ninth. Mora at bat singles it into shallow CF. One on for Scott, Very nice, grounds it to Scutaro flip to McDonald, throw to Overbay double play helps Camp here. Millar at bat, grounds out to Overbay. Very nice work Shawn. Two double plays turned by Jays tonight.

Top 8th: Big bats again, would love to add to this total. Sarfate pitching to Rios. Nice hitting Alex, stays back on this one with his hands and doubles down the RF line. One on for Barajas hitless tonight. Alex is stealing and Barajas singles to RF centre first hit tonight. Alex scores and this is 10-7 Jays now. Overbay at bat strikes out looking. One down one on. Rolen wants in on the party, Fly ball out to Jones in CF. Look who is here, Adam Lind 4-4 tonight and going for a triple for the cycle. Not tonight for Adam loops it into LF for the third out.
Bottom 8th: Oakland are hammering the Rays 7-1 ouch…. but good… Yankees are winning and Boston still to start on the west coast in Seattle. Back in Baltimore, Wilkerson fielding for Mench in RF and Mench goes to LF for Lind. Downs pitching for Jays Hernandez at bat, fly ball to Wilkerson in RF. One down. Castro at bat, grounds to Overbay flip to Downs for out at 1B. Two down. Roberts at bat grounds out to Overbay at 1B.

Top 9th: Mench at bat, has had a good night so far. Full count, strikes out, one down. McDonald a hero tonight, lines out to Millar at 1B. Two down for Stairs at bat, strikes out. Jays go quietly here.
Bottom 9th: BJ Ryan now against his old team. Jones at bat, fly ball out to Rios in CF. One down for Markakis doubles to LF corner, one down one on for Huff. Lines into shallow RF great diving catch by Wilkerson two down for Mora. Singles to RF Markakis scores 10-8. Scott at bat Mora at 1B. two down. Full count. Ball four. Walks him. Millar at bat with two down and two on. Fahey in pinch running for Scott. Millar walks bases loaded. Hernandez at bat, fly ball out to Rios in CF. Save number 19 for BJ.

Jays move above Baltimore again by half a game, Yankees win and Rays lose, Red Sox just starting. Tonmorrow Burnett followed by Hallady on Thursday, Jays have a chance to make up some ground.