Jays win one and show spirit with great comeback

Toronto v New York. Saturday August 29, 2008.

Preview: It is not that Jays don’t have the ability to win, it is just they have not shown the desire in the last few games, they are totally flat and they look at it in each at bat.

Toronto: Inglett, Eckstein, Rios,Wells, Lind, Overbay, Bautista, Zaun, Snider and Parrish pitching.
New York playing their first team, they are serious about play offs. Damon, Jeter, Abreu, (Alex) Rodriguez, Giambi, Nady, Matsui, Cano, (Pudge) Rodriguez and Rasner pitching.
Second team playing today Cito has already given up on this group. No Scutaro, Barajas, McDonald or Rolen. I cannot see Halladay pitching with this lineup tomorrow.

Pitching: Parrish 1-0 4.05 ERA v Rasner 5-9 5.03 ERA

Result: Jays win a come from behind 7-6. When did I last write that but this one was huge.

The good: Vernon’s two run HR and his defence. Bullpen although BJ Ryan almost let it slip away. Has to be Jose Bautista today, finally breaks his hitless slump with the Jays with two hits and his double play ball in the ninth was game winner for me. League struck out the side in the seventh. Inglett, Wells, Lind and Bautista all with two hits.
The bad: I don’t want to ruin this day with anything today but the Jays hitters took their time getting going today and that hurt Parrish with the very quick early innings.

Top 1st: Inglett, grounds to Giambi tags Inglett for the out. Eckstein in middle of trade rumours so may be his last game. Singles up the middle. Rios at bat, big sigh…. Which Alex has got out of bed today ? Was he out on the town last night ? No, the usual, head in he air and pop up to Damon in CF. Would that Cito would bench this guy for a couple of games and put Snider in his position. He may never see RF again. Vernon now, grounds to A-Rod at 3B throw to Giambi. This will be a short afternoon friends. 9 pitches.
Bottom 1st: Damon at bat 3-0 count, now full count, fly ball out to Lind in LF. Jeter at bat, one down. grounds to Eckstein beats out the throw to Overbay, that is why Johnny Mc. should be at SS. One on one down. Abreu at bat, full count, fly ball out to Wells at the wall in CF. Two down. A-Rod, wild pitch, over the head of Zaun and umpire ! and Jeter moves to 2B. Singles to LF Jeter was running on the pitch and scores without a throw. 1-0 Yankees. Giambi with A-Rod at 1B. another wild pitch and A-Rod to 2B. Well I said this would be along afternoon. Singles hard to RF off Inglett ‘s glove, if he had missed Alex might have had him, Joe slowed it down too much. A-Rod scores 2-0 Yankees. Nady at bat, two down, grounds to Bautista at 3B he is in there today who knows why …. And throw to Eckstein at 2B to get Giambi. Not a great start there for Mr. Parrish 29 pitches but that’s ok the bullpen has not worked much recently so Cito can work by committee today.

Top 2nd: Rasner has a lead to work with, Lind at bat pops it up to Cano throw beats Lind who is not the swiftest guy out there, one down. Overbay at bat one down, lazy swing at that one, this time he does manage to pop it up to A-Rod two down in four pitches, what’s new? Bautista, 0-24, since coming to the Jays, pops up first pitch to Abreu in shallow RF. Five pitches and three Jays hitters go down. That is disgusting. Parrish has hardly had time to sit down in the dugout. 14 pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Matsui, first pitch swinging ( I guess it is catching, or they all have a date in town this afternoon) grounds out to Inglett throw to Overbay for the out. Cano at bat, singles to RF. Pudge Rodriguez with one on and one down. Fly ball out to Wells in CF, two down for Damon. Strikes him out on a great curve. 42 pitches.

Top 3rd: Zaun strikes out on three pitches, Snider, DH today. Pops it up to A-Rod for the out, but Snider took more pitches than all three hitters in the previous inning. That tells me a lot about who is actually trying today. Inglett, lines out to 2B for third out. 25 pitches for Rasner, for first nine outs ?? and Snider had five of those pitches. What is wrong with this group?
Bottom 3rd: Parrish must feel he has been out there all afternoon when his hitters are out in a few minutes every inning. Jeter at bat, fly ball out to Rios in RF one down. Abreu at bat, singles up the middle, A-Rod with one on and one down. Lifts first pitch into shallow CF but Vernon great catch for the second out. Giambi , Abreu stealing and safe on Zaun throw. Giambi strikes out. 56 pitches.

Top 4th: This inning will tell me whether this group is serious today, Eckstein, Rios and Wells. Eckstein at bat, grounds to Jeter, throw to Giambi for first out. Rios, singles into LF, when was his last hit ??? Wells, YES finally, Vernon gets hold of this one, he knows this one is out of here, Nady watches it sail way over his head. HR to LF bullpen netting. FINALLY, 2-2. Perhaps some others can wake up now. Lind at bat, grounds to Cano, throw to Giambi for second out. Overbay, yes, another base hit singles to RF. Vernon did wake them up. Bautista fly ball out to Damon in CF. 49 pitches though for Rasner, almost doubled his output from first three innings in one inning.
Bottom 4th: Parrish had a nap this time. Nady grounds to Bautista throw to Overbay one down. Matsui at bat high fly ball out to Lind. Two down. Cano first pitch swing and this one is over head of Rios in RF. HR and Yankees get lead back 3-2 Yankees. Pudge Rodriguez with two down and now he connects this one over head of Lind in LF and lead is back to 4-2 for Yankees. I guess Parrish was not used to the rest that he had between innings. Damon at bat, Tallet up in Jays bullpen. Damon strikes out. 68 pitches.

Top 5th: Now do Jays hitters mail this one in, or do they show some spunk and get at least one run back here? They are long overdue for a decent inning. Zaun at bat, pops it up to Cano. Snider grounds to Cano throw to Giambi for the second quick out. Inglett grounds to A-Rod at 3B and Jays go very quietly here. Rasner 58 pitches.
Bottom 5th: Tallet pitching, let’s hope he gets some run support. Jeter at bat, full count, walks. Abreu at bat, singles blooper into shallow CF. Two on no outs, A-Rod. Runners going, Fly ball out to Wells in Cf. Vernon has been busy today. One down for Giambi. Walks the bases loaded. Nady at bat, major trouble here for Tallet. Perfect, Nady pops it up to Overbay for out number two. Matsui doubles into RF corner, two runs score 6-2 Yankees. Cano at bat strikes out on three pitches but damage already done.

Top 6th: Hitters have to get something back here. Top of the order to do it. Eckstein, Rios and Wells again as in the 4th. Eckstein fly ball out to RF Abreu, on down for Rios. It would be nice to see him connect on one some day. He does here but long fly ball out to Damon in CF, two down. Vernon now lazy fly ball out to Abreu in RF corner Jays are playing as if they are busy planning big night out in the Big Apple. Another nine pitch inning. 67 pitches.
Bottom 6th: Frasor now pitching and why not. Pudge Rodriguez first pitch fly ball out to Inglett, he should be careful on that habit, one down. Damon singles to RF Rios. Number ten hit for Yankees today. Jeter at bat, Damon running, Yankees really want this game. Jeter fouls it off. Damon runs for third time as Jeter fouls another off. Steals this time and safe, Why didn’t Jays have a pitch out? He had run four times. Now full count. Grounds to Eckstein and throw to Overbay for the out. Abreu at bat two down. Grounds back to Frasor drops the ball but recovers in time to get Abreu at 1B . After all that Yankees don’t get anything. However Damon will be exhausted out there, no rest now he has to get back out in CF.

Top 7th: Lind his production has really dropped off recently. Now he singles into CF. first Jays hit since the 4th ? Overbay grounds to Cano, throw to Jeter who drops the ball and A-Rod backing Jeter up enables Lind moves all the way to 3B, no one there. Bautista now your BIG chance. Finally. yes Jose, singles back up the middle, for his first hit as a Jay and breaks a terrible 0-26 slump. Lind scores. 6-3 Yankees. Zaun at bat now your turn Gregg. Two on and no outs. Connect here and this game is tied !!! Full count here, and walks him, bases are loaded for Snider. Has he ever dreamed about this situation many times. Bases loaded and no outs in Yankee Stadium, his heartbeat must be off the chart. Manager Girardi appears, that’s it for Rasner, no leave him in Joe. Brian Bruney pitching, strikes out never mind Travis you will get many more chances . One down. Inglett at bat what can Joe do? Singles into CF, two runs score, Overbay and Bautista, 6-5 Yankees. Still two on and one out. Eckstein a wild swing at first pitch, pop up to Pudge. Rios now two down one on. Strikes out on high pitch out of zone. Are we surprised ?
Bottom 7th: League now pitching. You have to hold them Brandon. A-Rod at bat. Strikes out, one down. Giambi strikes him out. Nady with two down. Strikes him out on three pitches, excellent Brandon.

Top 8th: Wells at bat, one run game now Vernon. Singles into LF, that’s the way Vernon. Girardi doesn’t like that and is getting concerned, he changes pitchers the way Captain Hook did before Cito, but it does show he really wants this win today. Interesting to compare the two different management styles today, Damaso Marte now pitching to Lind. Singles to RF, second hit for Adam today good to see him back in the groove. Two on now and no outs for Overbay. Bunting and second time gets it down. Wells to 3B and Lind to 2B. One down for Bautista. Here comes Captain Hook again and that’s it for Marte and in comes Edwar Ramirez. Girardi really using his bullpen in these two games. Yes Jose, that’s the way, singles to LF and Vernon is in from 3B, this game is tied, 6-6. Zaun now with runners at the corners, go ahead run Lind at 3B. Gregg your big chance. full count. Dribbler in front of A-Rod throw to 2B gets Bautista, throw to 1B but Zaun safe. Lind scores 7-6 Jays. Gregg did his job. Snider at bat, two down, strikes out swinging. Poor Travis but you are learning each at bat, and Jays are now leading for first time in the game.
Bottom 8th: Downs now pitching. Matsui ground ball to Overbay, throw to Downs for the first out at 1B. Cano at bat, strikes him out on 77mph curve. Two down for Pudge Rodriguez grounds to Inglett dives to save but drops ball, Pudge safe at 1B. Pinch runner Brett Gardner for Pudge. Damon at bat, stealing and Zaun’s throw wide, safe at 2B. Grounds to Inglett throw to Overbay and Jays keep that lead. BJ will be getting up in bullpen.

Top 9th: Top of the order, can they add to this lead? Alex is overdue. Inglett to start. Yankee faithful appear to be emptying out of those seats, lots of blue around. Molina now catching for Pudge. Ransom at 1B for Giambi. That’s the way Joe, singles into RF. That’s it for Ramirez, here comes Jose Veras. Eckstein at bat is he bunting? Yes, everyone in Canada saw that coming. Good bunt and Inglett at 2B one down for Alex $65 million Rios. Not this time, grounds (first pitch) to A-Rod, throw to Ransom at 1B for second out. Vernon at bat, Yankees now putting him on with 1B open. Adam my man you are the man. Full count, grounds out to Ransom for third out. Not this time Adam. All rests on BJ now.
Bottom 9th: BJ Ryan pitching for the save. Johnny Mc. in for Eckstein. Scutaro at 2B, Inglett in LF for Lind and Barajas for Zaun behind the plate. Jeter at bat, full count, singles into RF corner, perfect throw by Alex to hold him to a long single. Abreu with one on. Full count and walks him. Two on no outs for A-Rod, not exactly what BJ had in mind. Criwd is really getting back into this one, sounds like World Series. Another full count. A-Rod grounds to Bautista, steps on 3B to get Jeter, throw to Overbay to get A-Rod, double play ball. Great play Jose. Two down now for Ransom fly ball out to Inglett for the third out and Blue Jays win a HUGE one 7-6.