Jays hitters ruin outstanding pitching by Purcey.

Toronto v Tampa. Game two. Thursday August 28,2008.

Preview: Difficult matchup tonight with Garza who Purcey maybe outmatched in this one and will need Jays hitters to get a few runs like last night.

Lineups: Toronto: Inglett, Scutaro, Rios, Wells, Lind, Overbay, Stairs, Barajas, McDonald, and Purcey pitching.
Tampa: Iwamura, Upton, Pena, Baldelli, Aybar, Zobrist, Riggans, Ruggiano,Bartlett and Garza pitching.

Result: Jays lose 1-0 and ruin Purcey’s outstanding outing.

Very good: and in fact exceptional outing by young David Purcey that certainly deserved a win tonight. David if the Yankees scouts are in the park tonight try an offer. This team does not deserve you with their showing tonight.

The bad: Every single one of the Jays hitters tonight. A listless, apathetic outing that they should be ashamed of. They were all mailing it in tonight despite an incredible performance by Purcey. He will be around a lot longer than some of these hitters in future years. Rios at bat with two on in 3rd and 3-0 count cannot produce. Rios, Wells both hitless, Jays hitters free swinging to the extreme tonight. Should Stairs still be in this lineup? Next week with the callup at least we can see some of the young hitters who will be replacing Stairs next season. Jays hitters despite all the amazing new coaching staff are still unable to hit Garza. Interesting. Cito for not getting some small ball going when nothing else is working. Pinch hitting, steals, bunts, anything becuase this lineup can be awful as they were tonight. He has to start thinking of other options, BUT don’t forget this guy’s strength is a hitting coach not a baseball tactician and we should not expect him to change.

The game:
Top 1st: Inglett singles to LF. Scutaro fly ball out to Zobrist LF. One down for Alex, where is he tonight ? Rios fly ball out to Ruggiano in RF. Wells two down, one on, grounds to Aybar at 3B throw to Iwamura at 2B to get Inglett.
Bottom 1st: Iwamura strikes out. Upton fly ball out to Rios RF. Pena single to 1B. Baldelli strikes out. Good inning from Purcey.

Top 2nd: Lind at bat, 0-10 hitting streak now, singles to CF. Overbay grounds to Bartlett SS on to.Pena double play. Two down for Stairs strikes out.
Bottom 2nd: Aybar singles to CF. Zobrist strikes out. Riggans grounds to Purcey throw to Overbay for the out, Aybar to 2B. Ruggiano strikes out.

Top 3rd: Inglett at bat two down, doubles in to RF corner, Scutaro full count, and walks two on for Alex, now perfect time to hit one out Alex. 3-0 count. Lines out to 3B, throw to 1B for the out. Alex… what a wasted opportunity. That was an awful at bat by Alex.
Bottom 3rd: Bartlett at bat strikes out, Iwamura strikes out, Upton at bat, two down. fly ball out to Rios in RF three up and down for Purcey nice inning.

Top 4th: Wells at bat, pops it up to Pena at 1B. That also was not a good at bat by Vernon, head off the ball both swings. Lind at bat, grounds to Pena, flip to Garza for the second out. Jays are giving their outs away tonight. Overbay at bat, singles down 3B line. Stairs at bat pops up to Zobrist in shallow LF for the third out. I am not impressed with some of these Jays hitters tonight.
Bottom 4th: Pena gets hold of this one, no doubt at all HR to RF seats. 1-0 Rays. Baldelli strikes out. One down for Aybar, strikes out. Zobrist strikes out the side, nice going David.

Top 5th: Barajas strikes out on terrible swing at ball way outside. McDonald at bat strikes out swinging. Inglett at bat, full count, strikes out. Garza matching Purcey although Jays are making it easy for him tonight. 70 pitches
Bottom 5th: Riggans strikes out, number ten strikeout. Ruggiano fly ball out to Rios in right centre. Two down. Bartlett grounds to Inglett throw to Overbay for third out. 61 pitches.

Top 6th: Scutaro at bat, fly ball to Zobrist in LF. One down for Rios, I hope he has a better at bat than the last, head in the sky again, fly ball out to Ruggiano, Wells now, grounds to Iwamura throw to Pena for the out. Three up and down again, Jays are just not in this game tonight and it is too bad as Purcey has pitched very well to keep them in it. They need runs though to win a game.
Bottom 6th: Iwamura bunts down 3B line and safe at 1B as Scutaro lets it go. Upton also bunts and Iwamura moves to 2B. One down. Pena at bat, fly ball out to Wells, two down but Iwamura tags and gets to 3B. Baldelli at bat strikes out, number eleven for Purcey.to end the inning. BUT where are the hitters? 72 pitches.

Top 7th: Lind, fly ball out to Zobrist in LF corner, one down for Overbay pops up first pitch to Bartlett at SS. Stairs now two down, singles to LF. Barajas singles under the glove of Aybar at 3B. Two on for McDonald. Bautista pinch runner for Stairs at 2B, Cito not making same mistake as game last week when Stairs thrown out at home. Pops it up to Aybar at 3B. 97 pitches.
Bottom 7th: Aybar pops up to Overbay at 1B, one down for Zobrist grounds to Scutaro at 3B throw to Overbay, two down. Riggans at bat, grounds to Overbay, throw to Purcey for third out. Not a great throw there Lyle.

Top 8th: Garza still pitching. Grant Balfour up in Rays bullpen. Inglett at bat, fly ball out to Zobrist in LF corner. One down for Scutaro, grounds to Iwamura at 2B throw to Overbay for second out. Rios now what is he going to do this time? Is his head still in Tampa? 3-1 count. Full count, walks, Wells now with two down. Maddon is out, Garza stays in. 110 pitches. This could be the game here. Pressure Vernon. 3-0 count, Vernon takes all the way, 3-1, now walks him. That might be it, yes that’s it for Garza. 115 pitches. Balfour now pitching to Lind at bat with two down and two on. OK Adam. Your time is now. Strikes out on high ball outside zone. Not a good at bat Adam.
Bottom 8th: Ruggiano fly ball out to Wells in CF, one down. Bartlett at bat, grounds to Inglett, beats the throw. One on for Iwamura lines hard back to Purcey who knocks it down. Throw gets Iwamura at 1B. Two down Bartlett to 2B. Upton, 3-0 count, fly ball to Lind in LF. Great pitching for Purcey but once again no hits from his awful team mates tonight.

Top 9th: Last chance for the listless Jays hitters. Wheeler pitching to close it out. Gross in RF for Ruggiano who moves to LF in place of Zobrist. Overbay at bat, fly ball out to Upton in shallow CF. Bautista at bat, hitless in first five games for Jays. Strikes out here. Barajas with two down. Hammers this one to LF wall, Riggiano makes great catch high on the wall to finish this one off.

Jays lose 1-0 after getting an exception outing by Purcey. However like the rest of the season the great pitching has been wasted on these teammates. If hese pitchers played for Yankees New York would be in the playoffs.