Tampa v Toronto. Game one of three.

Lineups: Tampa: Upton, Crawford, Longoria, Pena, Aybar, Burrell, Gross, Bartlett, Navarro and Neimann pitching.
Toronto: Scutaro, Hill, Wells, Rolen, Lind, Overbay, Bautista, Barajas, Adams and Halladay pitching.

The unknown tonight, Halladay back from that groin pull, everyone hoping that he will be ok. Jays facing an unknown rookie pitcher Niemann and you know that always spells trouble for this side.
Plus Tampa on a five game win streak, a game ahead of Jays. Jays on two game losing slide and not playing well at all. Hard to play back to back series against both World Series teams !!! That must be a first. But Jays will get a measure of their own abilities and gaps from manager down. Joe Maddon is one of my top five Managers, I love his style, always managing and has amazing results from a young virtually unknown group since last season. And worse they appear to be getting going now after slow start. Jays are going in opposite direction.

The good: Halladay and Barajas both seemingly ok from their injuries. Rolen continues his hit streak to sixteen. Hill’s amazing defence, two Tampa players caught stealing, two double plays turned. This could have been very much worse than 4-1 tonight, but ominous signs for the rest of the season if Tampa continues to out pressure on every at bat. This team is young, very fast, full of good hitters and evidently has great pitching and Joe Maddon. I liked them last season and so far tonight I was very impressed with them. By comparison, Jays look flat and are playing uninspiring baseball.

The bad: Jays hitters all night long. Where is Cito? Tampa running all night, five steal attempt with three successful and two unsuccessful. Tampa now has major league-leading total 121. This will be a long series but Chavez’s arm may have better luck if he is playing tomorrow. Jays are not having much luck against any of the top three inn the division so far. Perhaps second half of the season will help.

Top 1st: Upton strikes out. Crawford singled to centre. Longoria at bat, Crawford stealing easily safe at second. Barajas, you will be having a long night with this running team they already have 100 stolen bases to go with their hundred home runs. Longoria walks. Halladay in trouble already. Two on and one down. Pena grounds to Hill throw to short Scutaro over to first base Overbay, double play gets Halladay out of this quickly.
Bottom 1st: Scutaro lined out to second baseman Aybar. Hill fouled out to first baseman Pena. Wells grounded out, third baseman Longoria to first baseman Pena, Three up and down for Neimann. He is one big guy. 6’ 9. And 280 lbs.

Top 2nd: Aybar strikes out. Burrell strikes out. Number three already for Halladay a good sign. Is using his cutter pitch for success so far. Gross singles to centre. Bartlett singles to centre. Gross to third. Navarro fouls out to Rolen.
Bottom 2nd: Rolen doubles to right. Now one on and no outs, surely they can bring him in here. Lind fly ball to centre field Upton. Overbay at bat, Rolen stealing third and safe. Overbay grounds to shortstop Bartlett throw to first base Pena. No chance for Rolen to come home. Bautista walks. Adams pops up to Upton. Jays same old season long inability to produce with runners in scoring position.
Top 3rd: Upton full count and walks. Upton going and safe on throw and ball sails into centre to allow Upton to move to third. Barajas' throwing error, Upton to third. Crawford at bat with one on, no doubt about this, one home run the minute it left the bat. Upton and Crawford score and Rays go out 2-0. Longoria strikes out. Pena strikes out. Aybar grounds to Overbay flip to Halladay.
Bottom 3rd: Barajas fouls out to catcher Navarro. Scutaro strikes out. Hill fly ball to left field Crawford.

Top 4th: Burrell grounds to Rolen throw to Overbay. Gross singles to right and trying to make it two. Out on the throw by Bautista in right to Scutaro. Two down for Bartlett, strikes out.
Bottom 4th: Wells infield single to third. Rolen grounds to third base Longoria throw to second base Aybar on to first base Pena, double play. Lind fly ball to right field Gross.

Top 5th: Navarro lines out to Hill. Oh my, what an incredible catch, Hill leaping high and appeared to have no chance with that one, but catches it. Crowd around me cannot believe they just saw that. Hill saved a double at least there for Halladay. Upton strikes out. Crawford grounds to third base Rolen throw to Overbay at first. Neimann having no problems with this Jays side tonight.
Bottom 5th: Overbay fly ball to Upton. Bautista fly ball to Gross. Adams grounds to Longoria throw to Pena.

Top 6th: Longoria fly ball to Bautista. Pena grounds to first base Overbay. Aybar lines out to first base Overbay.
Bottom 6th: Barajas fouls out to Longoria. Scutaro pops up to Aybar. Hill fly ball to Crawford. That was quick.

Top 7th: Accardo pitching. Is this intentional or does it mean that Halladay is injured yet again. Burrell, this is trouble, home run to left just over wall into Jays bullpen. 3-0 Tampa. Gross walks. Bartlett at bat, Gross is going, and out at second, great throw by Barajas to Hill, Gross out. Bartlett singles to centre. That hurts Tampa now.Navarro at bat, Bartlett stealing and safe at second. Navarro singles to right, Bartlett to third. Upton sac fly to Bautista, Bartlett scores, 4-0 Tampa. Navarro is going, and caught stealing, Barajas to Scutaro, Navarro out.
Bottom 7th: Wells pops up to Aybar. Rolen grounds to Longoria at third, throw to first base Pena. Lind singles to left.Two on and one out. Overbay grounds to second base Aybar to first base Pena.

Top 8th: BJ Ryan pitching. Crawford walks. Hello Cito ….. Longoria grounds to Hill to shortstop Scutaro to first base Overbay, Crawford out. Double play. Second timely double play for Jays at least. Pena grounds to Hill to throw to first base Overbay. BJ will reduce his ERA once again with that inning.
Bottom 8th: Bautista full count and walks. Adams grounds to first base Pena unassisted, Bautista to second. Barajas singles to right, here comes Bautista. 4-1 Tampa. Johnny Mc pinch-running for Barajas. Just be careful Johnny Mc. Wheeler now pitching. Scutaro fly ball to centre field Upton. Hill pops up to Aybar.

Top 9th: Chavez in as catcher. Camp pitching. Aybar fly ball to Bautista. Burrell strikes out. Gross fly ball to Bautista.
Bottom 9th: Zobrist in at second. Wells pops up to Upton. Rolen strikes out. Lind singles to center. Here comes Maddon, not going to let this one get away. I just realized that we have not seen Cito tonight !!! He has not been out of the dugout all game long. Such a contrast with Maddon. Every play is a chess move for him. Choate now pitching. Overbay fly ball to Crawford and that’s the game tonight. One the Jays certainly want to forget.

Jays lose the opener 4-1 and Tampa moves two up on them as they sink further in the standings.