Monday, May 25, 2009

Jays slide to third after another hitting fiasco and loss number seven.

Toronto v Baltimore Game one of three.

Jays trying to stop slide to seventh consecutive loss.

Lineups Toronto: Scutaro, Hill, Rios, Wells, Lind, Rolen, Overbay, Barajas, Bautista.
Baltimore: Roberts, Jones, Markakis, Mora , Huff, Wigginton, Reimold, Zaun, Izturis.

The good: Hard to think of anything today although Tallet gets the nod, he did his bit even though he takes the loss. Good fielding by Hill in particular.
The bad, no the awful: Hitters yet again, both with runners in scoring position 1/9 yet again and generally. How will they ever score with that type of hitting? And this was the team leading the majors in hits and runs a week or so ago. Up and down the lineup there is no one that I would miss out today. Just as important the lack of any ideas to make up for this lack of offence. Cito you can’t keep on saying not to worry, and they are trying because obviously they are not. They have gone from first to third in a week that must be some record even for Toronto. Manager has to start to take some rap. Do something shake up this lineup. Sink Rios and Wells. Yes Vernon had two hits today but not in the eighth when it was needed. It is as if Vernon freezes when the game is on the line. And why didn’t Rios steal in the eighth to put himself in scoring position? Why didn’t you send more of the runners with Zaun throwing? Sit Rios when he fails to run down those balls in foul territory. Cito the same old, same old stuff only works when you are winning. And my parting shot would be to get Snider back up here. How can he ever be worse than this lot right now ?

Top 1st: Scutaro singles to right. Hill lines out to shortstop ex-Jay Izturis. Rios fly ball to Jones on centre. Scutaro stealing and safe at second. Are they going to run on Zaun today ? Wells singles to centre and Scutaro scores. 1-0 Jays. Lind grounds to Roberts at second throw to Huff at first. Double play ball.
Bottom 1st: Roberts doubles to right. Jones singles to centre, Roberts to third.Markakis grounds to Overbay throw to Scutaro back to Lyle double play ball but Roberts scores and just like that this game is tied 1-1 Mora grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay for third out.

Top 2nd: Rolen grounds to Mora at third throw to Huff at first. Overbay grounds to Roberts at second throw to Huff at first. Barajas doubles to left. Bautista strikes out.
Bottom 2nd: Huff grounds to Hill throw to Overbay. Wigginton singles to centre. Reimold strikes out. Zaun walks, Wigginton to second. Izturis infield single to first, Wigginton to third, Zaun to second. Bases loaded. Roberts strikes out.

Top 3rd: Scutaro fly ball to Markakis in right. Hill singles to left. Rios fouls out to Huff. Passed ball Hill to second. Wells grounds to Mora at third throw to Huff at first.
Bottom 3rd: Jones strikes out no three pitches. Nice going Brian. Markakis pops it up to Rolen behind third. Mora pops it up way up behind short for Wells running in from centre. Three up and down for Tallet, much better.

Top 4th: Lind desperately needs to get back in his groove. Hit on the arm, well Adam you are on base at least. Rolen fly ball to Jones in centre. Overbay pops up first pitch to Reimold in shallow left. Barajas Lind stealing but throw gets him at second. Lind is not the speediest guy in this lineup. I wonder whose idea that was.
Bottom 4th: Huff doubles into right to the wall in right. Wigginton grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay for first out. Reimold grounds to Rolen no throw and safe at first. Zaun singles to left, Huff scores, 2-1 Baltimore. Izturis full count fly ball to Bautista two down. Roberts two down two on, grounds to Rolen steps on third to get Zaun but damage is done.

Top 5th: Barajas to continue from last inning when Lind caught stealing. Lines to centre, nice running catch by Jones. Bautista strikes out looking. Scutaro two down. Lines it off Huff diving at first base into right field. Hill Jays have five hits and only one run again today and look as if they are not going to break out of their slump today at least. Hill fly ball to left and Guthrie is cruising here not threatened at all.
Bottom 5th Tallet at 67 pitches. Jones pops one into foul right corner Rios doesn’t get there in time. Alex will never run into the wall. I miss Mondesi in that corner, however the good news is that young Travis Snider will go into the wall for the team. Jones strikes at one in the dirt. Markakis question now re lightning in the area. Cito doesn’t want to come off he is losing. They are continuing. Full count. Pops up to Overbay, two down. Mora bunts in front but great throw by Barajas off balance gets him at first. Highlight reel play.

Top 6th: If Jays want to win this thing they had better score this inning if lightning is threatening. Rios, hitless today grounds to Izturis short 0-3 today. Wells, didn’t like that first pitch call. Singles to left centre. Lind first pitch fly ball out to left, didn’t even give Vernon a chance to steal there. I am not impressed with Lind right now he has made two poor decisions this game. Rolen, grounds to Mora throw to Roberts to get Vernon. If Lind had let Vernon steal, Vernon would be at third and still only two outs, little mental errors by Lind have impact. Boston and Yankees winning so it looks as if Jays will drop to third spot today. Ouch and in one week !! How soon before Rays catch them ???? Probably when Boston visits Toronto this week for three.
Bottom 6th: Huff grounds to Overbay, one down. Wigginton strikes out. Reimold full count and walks. Zaun last inning for Tallet. 97 pitches. 3-0 count, pops it up to Scutaro to end inning. Tallet 101 pitches. Any pitcher that can hold the opposition to two in six innings has done his job. It is the hitting plain and simple that is ruining this team right now and hitting when it counts. Well Jays hitters have nine more tries.

Top 7th: Overbay, singles up the middle. Never understand why more hitters (Vernon, Alex) do not do that instead of constantly pulling. Barajas, rain steady now. Strikes out. Bautista hitless today. Full count, and walks. Rain getting heavier. Scutaro 2-3 today but neither with runners in scoring position, we need one here when it counts. But that has been the chorus all week all season long and here he goes again, strikes out looking. Two down for Hill, grounds crew getting ready. Hill grounds to Izturis at short, throw to Roberts at second and Barajas is out.
Bottom 7th: BJ Ryan pitching. Poor guy in the pouring rain so if he makes a mistake he is the goat, I don’t think so. How about the Jays hitters again 1/5 with runners in scoring position? Izturis grounds to Rolen, dropped by Rolen and throw not in time. BJ never gets a break. Roberts triples to the wall in right centre. 3-1 Baltimore. Jones with Roberts at third. Full count and walks maybe semi-intentional. Markakis, Wild pitch, Jones moves to second. Pops it up to Wells in shallow centre, Runners hold. One down. Mora intentional walk. Huff with bases loaded. Fly ball to Wells runner scores two down. If Rolen had not dropped that ball and first out that would be out of the inning. 4-1 Baltimore. Here comes Cito, strange he never does that to hitters when they go 0-20. Wolfe with two outs and two on for Wigginton. Grounds to Rolen throw to second for the out. Too bad Scott that you didn’t do that earlier. Often the box scores do not tell the whole story.

Top 8th: Well time for the much vaunted Jays hitters to attack….. But why is it always Rios and Wells to lead off? Perhaps they might surprise us now. Andino in at second. Baez pitching. Rios singles to left. Wells, pops up to Jones in shallow left centre, well at least it was not a ground ball double play. Lind with one down and one on. Grounds to Huff at first, two down, Rios at second. Rolen time to make up for that fielding gaff Scott. You owe BJ one. Grounds to short, throw to first. Jays hitters continue their futility. If they get swept here in Baltimore this week they will be facing Boston on Friday on a 9-0 losing streak, not a nice thought. Have they ever gone 0-12 ? Could be Jays history this week.
Bottom 8th: Wolfe still pitching Reimold at bat. Lines ones to Hill almost takes head off Wolfe and great throw to Overbay. Exactly my point re Ryan and Rolen last inning made a difference of at least one run. Zaun now hit on knee. Izturis fly ball to Lind in left. Two down. Andino grounds to Hill, nice play Aaron to throw to Overbay for third out. Once again great fielding that Ryan did not get last inning.

Top 9th: Sherrill pitching nine saves this season out of eleven attempts. Overbay to lead off doubles over head of Jones in centre. One on for Barajas Jays 1/6 with runners in scoring position today. Nine hits and only one run yet again. Lines it to Huff at first great catch, one down. Bautista strikes out. Two down. Scutaro now, it’s a hit we need Marco not a walk. Not like that wild swing at first pitch fly ball to Jones and Jays loss streak reaches seven and welcome to third place. Jays finish today 1/9 with runners in scoring position.

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