Jays hitters hammer Red Sox. Rios comes alive.

Toronto v Boston. Sunday August 17, 2008.
Jays would love to win this one and get back to Toronto having taken two from Red Sox. But this will be a very tough one with Beckett pitching. They know that any wins against Boston helps them to get closer to that wild card spot, however improbable it may seem right now. It is doable but they have to play above the standard of play they have given the last couple of months. I still refer to the May 20-10 record of the Gibbons era. If Jays hitters can do better than that in August and September then I will become a believer of the new coaching staff. So far there is still too much inconsistency from Rios in particular but many of the others in the lineup. My other concern is the lack of intensity from the team. They have to start to believe in themselves and their talents. They will not have the swagger of Yankees and Boston but should look at Tampa for belief in abilities and how that has driven the Rays all season long since Day 1 of Spring training. Perhaps winning will help. Rios had a great game last night, will he continue or will he get careless again? Important for Boston to win this game also as they leave on a nine game road trip after today.

Pitching: Marcum (7-5, 3.42 ERA) v Beckett ( 11-8, 3.92 ERA)
Lineups: Toronto Inglett, Scutaro, Rios, Wells, Lind, Barajas, Overbay, Wilkerson, McDonald, and Marcum pitching. Cito is staying with the same lineup as yesterday and why not. They played very well all-round, bats, glove and pitching.
Boston: Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ortiz, Youkilis, Drew, Bay, Lowrie, Cora, Varitek and Lester pitching.
What they are saying: Halladay on Boston hitting: “You can't get caught up on how a team's going - good or bad. Sure they were swinging the bats good against Texas. I look at quality pitches. I try to avoid who's hot and who's not."
Wells on Halladay: "I don't think he's too worried about who's at the plate. He can pause a game plan and work against hitters. He pumps strikes and makes it easier for guys behind him. It's impressive to watch."
Pedroia on Halladay: " He should make a pitching video. He's pretty tough. He throws strikes. He's got great stuff and it's tough to get into a rhythm on him because he's creating his own rhythm for himself. We didn't get anything going."
Cito on Halladay: "Doc is pitching like a Hall of Famer pitches. He's been doing that for years, when he stays healthy." Francona on Beckett: "He looks like he's primed to go ahead and be the guy that we need,"
Marcum: "I'm locating my fastball now and that makes things a little easier for me," The right-hander beat Boston after giving up three runs and three hits in seven innings of a 6-3 win on April 4, moving to 3-0 with a 2.77 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox.


Result: Jays hammer Boston 15-4. Yes, 15 is the score and In Fenway to take two game series and pull two back from Boston in wild card race.

The good: Hitting, pitching and defence. 22 hits for the bats. Alex with five hits, Lind with second HR in two games. Seven players with more than one hit today. Marcum shaky but gets the win. Bullpen holds it. FOUR double plays turned by the Jays defence.
The bad: What could I find with this today… LOB 11 and RISP 10/25 THAT is not good but is hidden in this blowout. What if…. Five more hits?

The game: Top 1st: Inglett, strikes out but fouled off several, good at bat for Joe. Scutaro one down.singles first pitch by Cora into LF. Rios now, what game has he brought today? Alex doubles first pitch into LF corner, Scutaro to 3B. Two in scoring position for Vernon now, full count. Walks him, maybe semi-intentional. bases loaded for Lind. One down. 2-0 count.singles into LF Wells scores, Bat=y bobbls ball. And Rios also scores, 2-0 Jays. Wells to 3B. Barajas at bat with two on, hit on arm, loads bases again, one down. Overbay at bat 2-0 count. Singles into RF, Wells and Lind score, 4-0 Jays. Wilkerson at bat grounds to Youkilis, bobbles ball and can only get Wilkerson at 1B to Beckett, Barajas and Overbay in scoring position for McDonald. Aardsma already up in Boston bullpen. 29 pitches. two strike count and doubles it off the Green Monster, Barajas and Overbay score 6-0 Jays. Inglett for second time this inning grounds to Cora at SS, throw to 1B for third out. Great start for the Jays, now Marcum just has to relax and pitch. He knows that this team can get these runs back in one inning let alone over nine. 36 pitch inning for Beckett, OUCH bigtime.
Bottom 1st: Ellsbury at bat, singles to RF. One on for Pedroia grounds to McDonald, to Inglett to Overbay, Double play perfect. Ortiz at bat two down, full count. Walks Ortiz. Youkilis at bat, strikes out. That’s the way Marcum. 18 pitches.

Top 2nd: Yankees hammering Kansas 10-2 in the second inning. Scutaro at bat, singles into RF. 2-2 today. Rios at bat, grounds to Cora, throw to Pedroia 2B on to Youkilis 1B double play, two down. Wells at bat. Strikes out. 46 pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Drew at bat walks, second walk today for Marcum. Bay at bat one on strikes out looking. One down, one on for Lowrie. Singles to Rios in Rf. Two on one down. Cora at bat, lines out to Wells nice catch and throw to Inglett to double up Drew. Very nice play Vernon, good to see him in CF. Gets Marcum out of trouble here. 36 pitches.

Top 3rd: Lind at bat, turns on this one and this one is out of here in RF bigtime HR to Adam. 7-0 Jays. Barajas at bat, WHOA this pitch went way over head of both Barajas and the umpire, Beckett not happy right now, strikes out. One down. Overbay at bat, drives this one into CF this should be two, yes, double for Lyle. Here comes Francona, Beckett is out of here. 54 pitches 2 1/3 innings, shortest outing of the season for Beckett. One down, one in scoring position. Aardsma, with Wilkerson at bat, doubles n to RF corner Overbay scores, 8-0 Jays and Wilkerson gets to 3B, triple for Brad. McDonald at bat, with Wilkerson at 3B. strikes out, two down. Inglett at bat, two down, one on. Lines hard to Cora at SS. Great catch by Cora.
Bottom 3rd: Marcum needs to close the door here, he has been helped out of trouble by the two double plays so far but he cannot hope for that all game. Varitek’s first at bat !!! Inglett has already had three. Singles into LF. Ellsbury pops up to LF, Wilkerson calls off Johnny Mc for the catch. One down. Pedroia strikes out. Two down. Ortiz with one on. 3-1 count, Marcum pitches him carefully again, full count. strikes out. Marcum’s pitch count is getting high here. 51 pitches for first three innings.

Top 4th: Drew replaced by Jeff Bailey in RF. Scutaro at bat, strikes out looking. Not a great at bat Marco. Rios at bat, doubles high off the Green Monster, just misses HR. Wells at bat with Alex at 2B. 3-1 count. Vernon walks. Lind at bat, with two on and one down. Doubles off the Monster, Rios scores 9-0 Jays. Vernon at 3B. Barajas at bat, with two in scoring position and one down, full count. Grounds to Lowrie throw to Youkilis 1B for second out. Overbay now with two in scoring position. 3-0 count. Walks bases loaded for Wilkerson. Francona out again. That’s it for Aardsma. Timlin now pitching. Grounds to Pedroia at 2B. throw to Youkilis for the third out leaving bases loaded.
Bottom 4th: Youkilis 3-0 count. Marcum has not been sharp today at all. This one is out of here, HR to CF over Vernon’s head. 9-1 Jays. Bailey at bat. Jays do not want to even give a glimmer of hope to Red Sox, they can score very quickly in Fenway, Toronto should be burying Boston here, take no prisoners. Grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay for first out. Bay at bat one down. 3-0 count and walks on four pitches. Lowrie at bat one on one down. This game will be a little longer ! than last night. It was almost over this time last night, another full count, and another walk. 75 pitches for Marcum. Bullpen is ready and rested after last night plus day of tomorrow. Cito will not hang around long with Marcum. Cora singles it into RF. Bases loaded. Now the bullpen working, Jesse Carlson warming up. Varitek at bat with bases loaded. Grounds to Inglett, flip to McDonald on to Overbay another double play. Marcum escapes again bigtime this time. 83 pitches.

Top 5th: Crisp now in CF, Ellsbury to RF, Bailey to 1B for Youkilis. Cash at catcher. McDonald at bat, singles to LF, 2-3 today. Inglett 0-4 today, singles to RF, two on no outs for Scutaro. Bucholz up in bullpen. Grounds to Cora at SS great diving play, Throw to 2B to get Inglett. Two on one down for Rios. Doubles into LF corner, his third double of the afternoon. McDonald scores 10-1 Jays. Two in scoring position for Wells, hitless so far today. Head music here from Timlin. Hits the ground. Vernon make him pay for that one. Grounds to Cora, throw to Bailey at 1B. Two down for Lind. Fly ball out to Bay in LF. Jays leave two more in scoring position.
Bottom 5th: Marcum has to be careful here, he has been very lucky so far today. Probably his last inning anyway with 83 pitch count. Ellsbury at bat. Lines out to Rios in RF. One down. Pedroia at bat,another full count. Grounds to Johnny Mc throw to Overbay for second out. Ortiz at bat, pops it up to Scutaro behind 3B.

Top 6th: Clay Bucholz pitching. Barajas at bat hitless today, full count, walks. Overbay at bat fly ball out to Bay in LF corner, one down. Wilkerson at bat, strikes out. Two down for McDonald. Doubles high off the wall in LF. Barajas coming home and safe. 11-1 Jays. Inglett at bat, lines it hard to Ellsbury in RF.
Bottom 6th: Shawn Camp pitching. Crisp grounds a rocket to 3B, gold glove reaction play by Scutaro. Throw to Overbay for the out. Great throw from the knees. Bailey doubles to RF corner, Alex throw not in time. Bay at bat one down and one in scoring position.Strikes out. Two down. Lowrie at bat triples over head of Wells into CF. Bailey scores. 11-2 Jays. Cora lines hard back to Camp, nice play throw to Overbay to get the third out and leave Lowrie at 3B.

Top 7th: Justin Masterson now pitching. Scutaro at bat, grounds to Cora at SS throw to Bailey at 1B for the out. Rios at bat, doubles AGAIN number four today !! off the Monster in LF. Ties the club record with four in one game. Wells at bat singles into LF Alex to 3B. Lind once again for the cycle. Needs a triple though. Grounds to 2B throw to Bailey and Rios scores 12-2 Jays. Barajas at bat Vernon at 2B. Two down. Strikes out. 17 hits for Jays today.
Bottom 7th: Carlson pitching, Cash at bat, grounds to McDonald at SS, throw to Overbay for the first out. Litsch up in the bullpen. Ellsbury at bat. strikes him out, great pitch Jesse. Pedroia at bat, two down. HR in the seats on the wall in LF corner. 12-3 Jays. Casey pinch hitting for Ortiz. Strikes out looking. Nice pitching Jesse.

Top 8th: Casey in as DH. Okajima pitching. Overbay at bat doubles to CF. Jays hitters are hot today. Wilkerson strikes out one down for McDonald who has had a great game today with bat and glove. Fly ball out to Crisp in CF this time, but has hit the ball well today. Inglett at bat with two down and one on. Yes Joe singles to CF, Overbay scores 13-3 Jays. Scutaro with one on, singles to CF, Inglett to 2B. Rios having a great afternoon with four doubles, singles to LF, Inglett scores, Scutaro to 2B. Alex a five hit afternoon. We have waited a long long time this season to see him hot like this. 14-3 Jays. Vernon at bat with two on and two down. Wells doubles to LF Scutaro scores 15-3 Jays. Rios to 3B. Lind at bat, hitting for cycle for the third time !!! how often does that happen ? Alex and Vernon both in scoring position. Lind grounds to Cora at SS throw to.Bailey at 1B for the final out. Jays score three with two out.Excellent clutch hitting today.
Bottom 8th: League pitching. Crisp full count and walks. Not what Cito wants to see here. Bailey grounds to McDonald flip to Inglett on to Overbay, another double play, Jays pitchers have been rescued bigtime by doubleplays today. Bay at bat two down, strikes out.

Top 9th: Papelbon now pitching for the work. Barajas strikes out. Overbay strikes out. Two down for Wilkerson fly ball out to Crisp in CF. Quick thre up and down for Papelbon.
Bottom 9th: Ryan also pitching for the work. Lowrie doubles to right centre, Cora at bat grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay is wild, Lowrie scores. Error on Scutaro, he probably should have held that one. 15-4 Jays. Cash at bat full count grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay for the first out. Ellsbury at bat pops up to McDonald at SS. Two down for Pedroia strikes out, Jays win 15-4.