Jays power reappears to support Romero in 9-3 win.

Toronto v Kansas. Game one of three. Two teams in slumps. Jays lost series in Kansas 3-1.

I guess Cito thought one game on the bench was enough for Vernon. Here he comes tonight and in number four spot despite Adam Lind eight consecutive hits, 5-5 last night, Adam could have had double figure rbis but not a soul on base ahead of all those hits. Go figure, Rios 0-5 Hill in a terrible 0-20 slump and Scutaro starting to wilt and get back to normalcy. Jays face Greinke tonight number two in the league after Halladay and on a 3-12 run. This could be one of those nights when we all pray that the Flashback Friday crowd can suit up and show this group how to play. Cito’s Achilles heel, the players Manager, and old school hitter, unable to move the lineup around, don’t mess with the players’ egos, blah blah….

Lineups: Kansas: Crisp, Bloomquist, Butler, Guillen, Jacobs, Callaspo, Teahen, Olivo, Pena jr and Greinke 8-1, a league leading ERA of 1.10, and 88 strikeouts. Good luck tonight Jays you will need it to avoid yet another embarrassment and in front of the 92-93 World Series alumni.
Toronto: Scutaro, Hill, Rios, Wells, Lind, Rolen, (just think what rbi figures Adam Lind could have had without Alex and Vernon ahead of him in the lineup….. would be an MVP year for him.) Rolen, Overbay, Millar, Barajas and Romero pitching. Romero lasted four innings last outing against Boston.

The good: Scutaro, three doubles and a walk. HR power from Lind, Overbay and Barajas. Vernon and Alex get going. Romero great outing but gives up back to back home runs in the seventh. Great highlight reel fielding from Hill to make up for his hitting slump.
The bad: Not tonight.

Top 1st: Crisp, strikes out, one down for Bloomquist. Singles to right, one on one down for Butler.3-0 count. Grounds to Scutaro, flip to Hill on to Overbay, double play ball. Jays go to bat for a change without a large deficit to overcome.
Bottom 1st: Will be very interested to hear and see Rios reaction tonight, he was booed off the field yesterday and also had a rough night with fan but apologized today. Fans should leave the guy alone, he doesn't want to play as bad as he is
And how will the top three do tonight against one of the best pitchers in the league? Scutaro great start leadoff double to right, bouncing into the crowd on first pitch. Now one on in scoring position and NO outs. Hill, goes after pitch way outside and pops it up to Butler, that was a horrible at bat. Rios now what planet is he on tonight? Getting better Alex , no strike out but fly ball to Guillen in right, two down and Scutaro marooned out there for Wells. Vernon finally, singles to centre, Scutaro scores 1-0 Jays, Error on Crisp as the ball bounced off him to let Vernon to second. Vernon staying with the ball and not trying to pull it into trouble. Lind with a guy in scoring position for a change. 3-0 count. Greinke semi-intentional walk here? Full count. Come on Vernon get going. Lind lines it up the middle but nice low catch by Crisp. But Jays are up for a change at the end of first inning 1-0. Can’t have it all.

Top 2nd: Guillen leading off, grounds to Overbay playing well off the bag at first, one down. Jacobs strikes out, nice pitching there Ricky. Two down for Callaspo, grounds it hard up the middle but highlight reel play by Hill to throw him out. If he can’t do it with the bat he can still do it with the glove. 24 pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Rolen full count, gets hold of this one and takes Guillen to the wall in right, almost out of here but not quite Scott. One down for Overbay, this one is….. Home run to centre, no question about that one. Line drive swing that stayed up over the fence at 400 foot. Number six of his season. 2-0 Jays. Millar now takes this one to Guillen at the wall, Jays hitting Greinke hard tonight. Two down for Barajas. Strikes out swinging.

Top 3rd: Teahen the Canadian grounds to Rolen, nice play and throw to Overbay one down. Olivo both Romero and Greinke working quickly tonight now. Singles up the middle. One on one down for Pena jr bunting great bunt in front of him but equally good play by Romero quick off the mound to throw Pena out at first. Olivo to second for Crisp 3-0, Romero doesn’t like that guy behind him at second. Walks on four and wild pitch sends Olivo to third. That might hurt him with Bloomquist at bat. First pitch way up and outside, settle down Ricky. Bounces high over head of Romero to Hill at the bag to get Crisp at second.
Bottom 3rd: Scutaro full count, doubles to the wall in centre, Crisp cannot get it. Scutaro with his second double in two at bats, where was all this yesterday? Hill strikes oit on three, not a good at bat, Aaron , first pitch was the one that you let go. Rios, there we go Akex doubles to left and Scutaro scores, 3-0 Jays. Easy isn’t it Alex? Monkey off his back perhaps. Wells with Rios in scoring position, wild pitch and Alex goes to third. Chance for another here ? Oh boy……bounces one high to third, throw to first umpire rules him safe. Replay shows foot off the bag as he goes up for the catch. Alex meantime was going on contact and scores 4-0 Jays. Lind still only one out. 50 pitches now for Greinke. Adam goes the other way singles into left. Runners at first and second for Rolen. Here comes pitching coach to settle the star. Not his night so far. If Scott can get hold of one here. NO pops it up to Callaspo behind first. Overbay with two on. Jays 4/7 with runners in scoring position tonight. YES Lyle, goes down to get this one and doubles one here over the head of right field Wells scores, Lind scores, 6-0 Jays. Barajas with Lyle at second. Ramirez up in the bullpen. Long time since that happened with Greinke pitching. Grounds to short throw to first. Greinke’s ERA is in a mess tonight.65 pitches.

Top 4th: Butler grounds to Hill, one down for Guillen. Romero escapes that one, high ball to left just misses foul pole. Strikes out. Two down. Jacobs, grounds to Hill throw to Overbay for third out.
Bottom 4th: Barajas tags this one and takes Crisp back to the wall in centre, Scutaro 2-2 now three as he doubles again down the left field line this time. Three doubles. Hill pops up to shallow centre. He is really off with his bat 0-3 tonight and 0-23 slump. Rios now should be a lot happier with his rbi double. Need another one her Alex. Strikes out. First inning Jays have not scored.

Top 5th: Callaspo grounds to Hill, throw to Overbay, one down for Teahen strikes out, number for for Romero tonight. Two down for Olivo first pitch fly ball to Rios in shallow right.
Bottom 5th: Wells leading off. On base twice tonight. Greinke at 76 pitches. Vernon goes opposite way but lines out to right. Lind, OH MAN…. This one is out of here in left. Into the Jays bullpen. 7-0 Jays. Lind has very deceptive power. It looked like a fly ball that kept on going. Rolen, lines one to Guillen in right. Overbay with two down 2-2 tonight. Full count, and walks. First walk tonight for Greinke. Ramirez up again in bullpen. Millar 3-0 count, lines hard to right centre for Guillen. 101 pitches for Greinke. I would imagine that is his night.

Top 6th: Pena 3-1 count and walks. I think he might be stealing here. Crisp grounds to Scutaro, flip to Hill throw to Ovebay double play. Romero’s infield has rescued him tonight. Bloomquist fly ball to Rios in right.
Bottom 6th: Ramirez now pitching. Barajas gets hold of this one but Crisp runs it down in left centre, Scutaro 3-3 all doubles. 3-0 count. 3-1 and walks. Hill now can he get going this time? More patient at least taking first two for balls. No grounds to third throw to second drags Callaspo off the bag and both runners safe. Rios now with two on and one down. This time grounds to Pena at short throw to Callaspo on to Butler at first double play ball.

Top 7th: Butler grounds one past Scuitaro into centre. Guillen this one is out of here high fly ball into Jays bullpen, Royals on the board 7-2 Jays. Jacobs oh no another one off the restaurant window in centre. 7-3 Jays. Settle Romero down someone. Callaspo grounds to Hill, fumbles the ball but still gets him at first. Nice play Aaron. Teahen, Oh my, another highlight reel play by Hill diving to his left and throwing form the knees to get him. Ricky should thank Hill bigtime. Olivo that’s a weird play, ball bounces in front of plate Olivo swings and misses, strikes out and gets to first as the ball bounces away from Barajas. Pena bounces one up the middle to Hill steps on second for the out.
Bottom 7th: Wells, grounds to third out at first. Lind strikes out swinging. Two down for Rolen, has hit the ball hard tonight but no results. Lines this one out to Bloomquist in left.

Top 8th: That’s it for Romero, a good night but almost fell apart in the seventh. Frasor now pitching to Crisp, 3-0 count not what Cito wants here Jason. High pop up to Wells in shallow centre. One down. Bloomquist, lines softly to Hill, he has been a busy guy at second tonight. Two down for Butler high fly ball to Wells in centre, three up and down for Frasor.
Bottom 8th: Cruz pitching. Downs getting ready in bullpen. Overbay strikes out. Millar hitless tonight, full count, way outside even beats the catcher, Millar walks. Barajas also hitless tonight, not any more, gets hold of this one, home run into left field bullpen, two more runs, 9-3 Jays. Scutaro, great night, 3-3 all doubles plus a walk. Pops this one up to Callaspo down the first base line. Two down for Aaron the other hitless guy tonight, strikes out swinging.

Top 9th: Downs pitching to Guillen, not a save situation but he needs some work. Guillen strikes out on three pitches. Jacobs, bounces one to Scutaro throw to Overbay two down for Callaspo full count, walks him. Teahen, Downs has to be careful with this guy. Strikes out.

Jays win a big one.. In a mini slump and with Greinke pitching and memories of three losses in Kansas, this could have been a tough one to lose.
And even better, Boston losing to Texas I Boston, bottom of the eighth. Hang in there Texas,