Toronto v Baltimore Game series finale. Thursday September 18, 2008.
Preview: Final game of home series with the Orioles but Jays will play the again in Baltimore to finish off the season. For the optimists they are hoping that those games will decide the playoffs and they may well do so. But two big series still to play at home Boston tomorrow for the weekend and then the Yankees series which probably will decide third place in the Division and you know the Yankees will not want to finish fourth. Jays have not played well this week but perhaps last night has given them a kick start to finish strongly.
What they said: Manager Cito: "I'm proud, but still think we could have done better," GM Ricciardi : "Cito will be here next year. We'll take care of that."
Mora: "Nobody wants to be in last place. Nobody wants to be a loser. It's one thing we need to turn around next year."
Pitching: Olson (9-8, 6.84 ERA) v Litsch (11-8, 3.75). Olson had his worst outing of the season against Minnesota on Saturday allowing six runs and five hits in the 12-6 loss. He is 1-3 with an 11.91 ERA in his last six outings. Against the Jays he is 0-1 with a 14.04 ERA in two starts this season.
Litsch in his last start pitched 5 1-3 innings against Boston, allowing three runs, five hits and five walks in the 7-5 loss. He is 1-3 with a 5.24 ERA in four career starts against Baltimore. In his start against them July 21, he gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings of an 8-3 loss.
The good: Bautista first inning HR and excellent double play in 2nd. Zaun two run double in the sixth. The bullpen of Wolfe, Carlson and Ryan to shut Orioles out. Ryan to get out jam in the ninth. It was not his fault that Zaun interfered with Payton to walk him in the ninth.
The bad: Litsch walks bases loaded with three walks in the fourth. Rios unable to bring in runners from 2B and 3B in the 4th. Zaun trying for triple and out by a mile. Seventh inning neither Rios or Wells can bring the runner in. Familiar chorus?
Lineups: Baltimore: Roberts, Cintron, Markakis, Huff, Millar, Scott, Salazar, Payton, Santos and Olson pitching.
Toronto: Scutaro, Bautista, Rios, Wells, Lind, Rolen, Overbay, Thigpen, Snider and Litsch pitching.
Top 1st: Roberts grounds out first pitch to Overbay, one down for Cintron, grounds up the middle first pitch again Bautista throw not in time. Why are they playing Bautista at 2B ??? Markakis full count and strikes him out two down for Huff, grounds to Rolen, throw not in time. Scott playing too deep. Two on two down for Millar, strikes out. Good first inning for Jesse. Now can the bats carry on from last night? 24 pitches.
Bottom 1st: Scutaro, 3-0 count, grounds to Cintron throw to Millar for first out. Bautista full count, this one is hammered, a rocket to LF bullpen, 1-0 Jays. Rios at bat, was last night a one off ? grounds to Huff, throw to Millar for second out. Wells, with two down, lines hard at 3B Huff off his glove diving for the ball, Vernon safe at 1B. That was catchable. Lind with one on and two down. Pops it up to Layton in CF t end the inning but Jays are ahead. 19 pitches.
Top 2nd: Scott at bat, both pitchers working fast tonight. Strikes him out, number three for Jesse. Salazar at bat one down, singles up the middle, one on one down, Payton grounds to Bautista steps on 2B and throw to Overbay, very nice Jose, highlight reel, double play and Jesse is out of this one with no damage. 34 pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Rolen such a great game last night. Walks, one on for Overbay, full count, pops up to SS Cintron, one down. not a great at bat by Lyle. Thigpen, 3-0 count, fly ball out to LF Scott, two down and Rolen still stuck at 1B this is not good Cito, something else to work on in Dunedin, moving the runner over. Snider at bat, another 3-0 count, at least Jays are more patient tonight, they must be reading the blog… and walks Snider on four pitches. Scutaro now with two on and two down. Do you think Jays will ever attempt a double steal under Cito ? fly ball out to RF Markakis. 47 pitches though.
Top 3rd: Santos grounds to Bautista throw to Overbay for first out. Roberts at bat, one down. fly ball out to Snider LF for second out. Cintron with two down, grounds to Rolen throw to Overbay for third out. Quick inning for Jesse here. 43 pitches.
Bottom 3rd: Jays have had their chances tonight already, they need to capitalize. Top of the order and the big bats. Bautista at bat, strikes out swinging. Rios at bat one down. Grounds hard to SS Cintron drops the ball but still time to throw Rios out at 1B two down for Wells. Why does Vernon always try to pull the ball? Grounds this one to Huff throw to Millar for third out. Rios and Wells what a pair. 56 pitches.
Top 4th: Markakis at bat, strikes out, for the second time tonight. Huff grounds first pitch to Bautista throw to Overbay for second out. That is a big out for Jesse. Millar at bat, hard grounder to Rolen throw to Overbay for third out and another quick and short inning for Jesse. 54 pitches.
Bottom 4th: Lind at bat, fly ball out to CF Payton, Adam is not having a good September. Rolen at bat, one down. Loops it into shallow LF but great running catch by Castro behind 3B.Two down for Overbay, fly ball out to CF Payton, three up and down. 70 pitches.
Top 5th: Scott at bat, grounds to Overbay, flip to Litsch for first out. Salazar, full count, walks him, Payton at bat, one on one down. Walks, two walks for Jesse here, back to back. Santos strikes out, number five for Litsch tonight, two down for Roberts. Full count, not good Jesse. Walks bases loaded three consecutive walks, ouch, ouch. Wolfe up in bullpen. Cintron at bat bases loaded two down. Here comes Cito. Singles into RF two runs score. 2-1 Baltimore. Runners at 1B and 3B for Markakis. Grounds to Bautista at 2B throw to Scutaro for out at 2B. But Jesse has opened the door here and that might be his last pitch tonight.86 pitches.
Bottom 5th: Thigpen at bat, hit him on the foot, Snider now can he make him pay? One on no outs. Singles up the middle and this kid continues to produce. Two on and no outs, for Scutaro gotta move them over Marco, bunting. Perfect both runners move up. Two in scoring position now for the big guys. Can they bring them in? Bautista at bat, pops it up but too shallow Castro makes the catch at shallow LF. Rios at bat, two down, just a base hit Alex, don’t be a hero. Grounds it to Castro SS and Alex cannot do it but did anyone expect him to? In the clutch he chokes almost every time. 87 pitches.
Top 6th: Litsch still out there for Huff at bat, strikes out. Millar at bat, one down. Full count and walks another. Scott at bat, 3-0 count in danger of another walk, there’s a strike, full count, lines it out to Wells in CF, two down for Salazar, pops it up to Rios in shallow RF. 107 pitches though for Litsch. Yankees hammering White Sox and Tampa beating the Twins.
Bottom 6th: Can Jays hitters rediscover last night’s magic? This might be Olson’s last inning. Wells leadoff, walks, he did that last night, is he discovering some patience at the end of the season ? Lind lines hard to Millar throw to 2B gets Wells and almost gets Lind at 1B but Millar drops ball. Adam escapes here. Rolen at bat, fly ball out to Markakis in RF two down. Overbay at bat, singles up the middle, two on two down. Too little too late. Orioles bullpen working. Thigpen at bat, here comes the Manager, that’s it for Olson 99 pitches. I think they are giving Thigpen a little too much respect here. Jim Miller pitching Zaun pinch hitting for Thigpen, and wild pitch first pitch moves both runners up, YES Gregg doubles into RF corner two runs score and now he is trying for three bases and is thrown out at 3B. Why would he do something stupid like that, he is hardly the swiftest runner, he was out by six feet at least, adrenalin fries his brain I guess. But Jays are ahead again 3-2 Jays. But Zaun could have been key at 2B with Snider at bat.
Top 7th: Wolfe now pitching Jesse in line for the win. Salazar leading off, fly ball out to Rios in RF. One down. Santos strikes out. Roberts full count, don’t lose him Brian, fly ball out to Snider in LF, three up and down for Wolfe, nice pitching.
Bottom 7th: Snider to leadoff, grounds to Roberts throw to Millar for first out. Scutaro at bat, doubles into LF corner, nice at bat Marco. Bautista now with runner in scoring position. But we have been here before. 1/4tonight with runners in scoring position. Grounds to Millar throw to Miller at 1B. Scutaro to 3B. Rios can he redeem himself ? Don’t place any bets. Rios 0-3 tonight. One night on next night off. Full count, and walks him. Wels now with two on and two down. Don’t expect Alex steal here, 2-2 now Alex stealing but Vernon fouls off. Full count, will Vernon swing ? yes he does but fouls it off. Pops it up to Payton in shallow CF. Both Alex and Vernon just cannot get it done tonight. 1/6 with runners in scoring position.
Top 8th: Carlson now pitching. McDonald in for Scutaro at SS Marco moves to 2B.Bautista sitting. Pinch hitter Jones for Cintron, fly ball out to Wells. One down. Markakis at bat, grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay, two down. Huff, grounds to McDonald throw to Overbay for third out. Very nice inning once again for Carlson.
Bottom 8th: Jays hitters need to get something going here and out this game out of reach. Big bats cannot do it but little guys might. Walker pitching. Lind at bat, gets hold one here but just foul into RF, almost Adam. full count, pops it up to Roberts but a better at bat for Lind this time. Rolen with one down, full count, grounds to 3B Huff throw to 1B Millar for the out. Two down for Overbay, fly ball out to Markakis. Jays hitters are going very quietly tonight.
Top 9th: Here we go again BJ Ryan with a one run lead. Millar at bat. Strikes him out. One down for Scott, 2-2 count, singles into LF Snider. One on one down for Salazar, 3-1 count and walks him on a very high pitch. Payton with tying run at 2B. Walks him on first pitch, catcher’s interference, hits Zaun’s glove on swing. Bases loaded for Mora pinch hitting. Oh man, pops it up to Overbay in foul ground, Scott holds at 3B. Two down bases loaded for Roberts. Grounds it to Johnny Mc. Quick throw to Overbay for the out, great throw, good play by Overbay to get a very speedy runner and Jays win this one 3-2.
Jesse Litsch gets win number twelve. Ryan save number thirty one.
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