Smiles today in Jays dugout as they win convincingly behind young Rzepczynski

Game two Boston v Toronto.

My Error yesterday Bucchholz not a rookie, he was up from AAA where he had been since August 2008. He had first major start 2007 and had 3-1 record for season.

Lineups: Boston: Drew, Pedroia, Youkilis, Ortiz, Bay,Lowell, Baldelli, Lowrie, Kottaras and Penny pitching.
Toronto: Scutaro, Hill, Lind, Rolen, Overbay, Rios, Millar, Bautista, Chavez, and Rzepczynski pitching. Wells still sick with flu. Good to see Millar in there in place of Dellucci at least. Dellucci with his foot injury from that strange play last night when the pitch hit his foot and he was called out on strikes.

The good: Defense Rolen outstanding, Hill superb. Six of the hitters shared this one today. Lind number 20 home run. Bautista two run double. And not least young Marc Rzepczynski winning and against the hottest team in the East and probably the best team in the AL. Great work Marc despite struggling with control throughout you deserved this one.
The bad: Not much today although I do think Cito could have helped out young Rzepczynski with some encouragement when he was in trouble. Bases loaded in the second with no outs and only one run scores, I hope that is the very end of this awful clutch hitting.

Top 1st: Drew strikes out. Pedroia singles to left. Youkilis grounds to Hill throw to Overbay. Ortiz grounds to Hill throw to Overbay for third out.
Bottom 1st: Scutaro lines out to Drew in right, one down for Hill, lines out to Bay in left. Lind, two down, grounds to Youkilis at first. Three up and down for Jays.

Top 2nd: Bay doubles to the wall in left, Lind is lucky he did not go to third, he was very slow to collect that ball. Lowell, 3-0 count. Come on Marc, don’t let him get away. There’s a strike. Ball four. Two on and no outs, you can’t do this with Boston and not pay. This team is not twelve games ahead of you without a reason. Baldelli, full count, doubles it into right centre, Bay scores 1-0 Boston. Great throw by Bautista in time at third but Lowell safe. Rolen could not find the ball. But when you are playing badly Jays you cannot expect any breaks. Still no one out. Lowrie with two in scoring position. Strikes out on three pitches. One down. for Kottaras. Pops it up shallow for Rolen to make second out. Top of the order though now. Drew with two on grounds first pitch to Hill throw to Overbay and Rzepczynski escapes bigtime here. I hope that is a learning experience for him.
Bottom 2nd: Rolen, singles up the middle. Overbay, singles into right, Rolen all the way to third, good hustle by Rolen. Chance here for Rios. Had a sac fly last night in same position. Walks on four to load bases up. Not to worry Penny this is the Jays remember. Millar at bat, chance for some damage here Kevin on your old teammates. Grounds it up the middle to Lowrie, to Pedroia to Youkilis double play but run scores 1-1. Two down. Bautista first pitch fly ball that was vintage Blue Jays. Bases loaded nobody out and one run to show for it. Hitting coaches note, your time is nearing the end.

Top 3rd: Pedroia lines out to Rios in centre. Youkilis, fly ball into right, Bautista misjudges this one, and ball bounces into crowd, ground rule double, could have should have had that. Ortiz, 3-0 count, Marc pitching him inside and missing each pitch. Full count, grounds to Hill, throw to Overbay two down with Youkilis moving to third on the play. Bay, strikes out, great pitch there Marc and leaves Youkilis at third.
Bottom 3rd: Penny has only 29 pitches in two innings despite loading them up last inning. And also by throwing more balls than strikes ! Ouch. Don’t tell that to Jays hitters. Chavez, leading off. Lines it hard right back at Penny, he is tough nut, hardly flinches, and throws out Chavez at first. Scutaro, Strikes out looking. Two down for Hill, lines it right at Pedroia at second for third out. When did Hill last get a good hit?

Top 4th: Lowell, grounds to Scutaro, throw to Overbay for first out. Baldelli, fly ball to Bautista in left, this time no mistake. Lowrie, gets under this one high fly ball out to Rios in centre. I feel so sorry for the Jays pitchers, no help from the hitters these days.
Bottom 4th: Let’s try again. Lind leading off. Pops it up to shallow left for Bay. One down. Rolen. Back up the middle for another single, where were you last inning with bases loaded Scot? Overbay, singles to left, Rolen to second. We have been here before. Rios, with two on again. Ok Alex, singles into left, Rolen gong all the way and scores, 2-1 Jays. When was the last time they were leading a game? Never mind let’s enjoy this for half an inning. Two on for Millar. One down. Ball gets away, both runners move up, golden chance here for you Kevin. No way Kevin watches third strike, you gotta swing Kevin. Two very poor at bats today, come on or you will be back on that bench. Bautista with two down and two in scoring position. 0-2 count, Jays hitters are taking the wrong pitches. That’s much better, great swing on this and doubles to the wall, both runs score, Jays are winning 4-1. Bautista at second. Chavez with two down and Bautista at second. fly ball to Drew in right for third out, but Jays are leading, Jays are leading…..

Top 5th: Perhaps finally this is the spark that this team needs. Let’s see if Marc can hold them here. Kottaras 3-0 come on Marc, walks him on four, that is a huge no no after getting ahead. Come on. number nine hitter as well. Dribbler to Rolen gets Kottaras but no chance for two. Pedroia, no Marc, walks him. You can’t keep doing this, you will get burnt and badly. Cito get out there. No he is sitting in the corner seething, Cito that does zilch for a young pitcher, help him out here. Youkilis, strikes out, could not hold back on that one. Ortiz with two on and two down. Now Chavez has a word. Ortiz does not like that call, full count, whoa, that breaks his bat which flies over first base, ball goes to Hill on the shift and throw to Overbay for third out. Nice pitching Marc. You did the job even though it was the hard way. Maybe your last inning though with pitch count over 90.
Bottom 5th: Now can Jays open the floodgates here and drive Penny from the game? Scutaro leading off. Perfect, doubles into right. Another guy at second and no outs, surely this time?…. Hill at bat, oh boy, grounds to short, throw to first for out, Scutaro has to hold. Lind, there you are Adam, yes sirreee.. Gets hold of this high fly ball just over fence into Jays bullpen,. Two more runs and Jays are out 6-1. Smiles finally in Jays dugout instead of the misery for the last month. Activity in Boston bullpen. Rolen, full count to Scott. Gives this one a belt but fly ball to centre for second out. Overbay also 2-2 today, 3-4 last night. He loves Boston pitching this weekend so far at least. Full count, how many of these has Lyle had this season? Strikes out this time though.

Top 6th: Rzepczynski has a five run lead here, but he has not pitched that well, he needs to cut down on the walks here. Bay, 2-0, this wil be your last guy Marc if you walk him, 3-0 and walks on four. Come on Cito get him out of there. Wow leaving hi in there for Lowell, ball one, he has lost the strike zone Cito. 2-0, there’s a strike. Carlson now up in bullpen. Maybe too late. Rzepczynski 100 pitches. 53 strikes 47 balls, give the kid a break Cito. Fly ball to Lind in left one down. Baldelli, now he has Accardo up in bullpen. Cito really doesn’t know what he is going to go. Marc has to help himself grounds back to Marc, throw to second on to first, double play ball. Great going Marc. He knew he doesn’t have his best stuff today, but in line for the win if his teammates can help him out.
Bottom 6th: That’s it for Penny evidently, only 82 pitches. Masterson pitching. Rios,first pitch. Come on Alex, pops it up to shallow right. Millar who has had horrible day today at bat leaving half the team on base. Full count. No way, that was very low and a ball but umpire disagrees, two down. Bautista fly ball to right first pitch, what is wrong with this team ?

Top 7th: Carlson now pitching Lowrie, hello Jesse home run to left. Welcome Jesse. 6-2 Jays. Kottaras, grounds to right, Hill great diving save to throw to Overbay for first out. Nothing wrong with Aaron’s glove his bat maybe. Drew at bat, whoa, Gold Glove play there as he lines to left, Rolen playing the shift at short makes a great diving airborne play to get that. Two great plays back to back showing that great defense Jays have had all season long. Two down and that’s it for Jesse. Now Accardo.to face Pedroia. Fly ball to Bautista in right, but this inning is Rolen and Hill demonstration.
Bottom 7th: Can Jays get that one back and add to it? Not with that silly first pitch wildness of last inning by Rios and Bautista. Chavez hitless today, grounds to Pedroia, throw to Youkilis for first out. Top of the order Scutaro with one down. grounds up the middle nice play by Lowrie and throw to Youkilis to get him, two down for Hill Another miserable hitless 0-3 day for Hill at the plate. I still think he has hit the wall in fatigue. Full count. Grounds to Lowrie throw to Youkilis and Aaron has 0-4 day.

Top 8th: Frasor pitching. Setting up for Downs? Youkilis, strikes out, nice pitching Jason. Ortiz, High very high fly ball into shallow centre Lind gets it in front of Rios. Not sure about that protocol, Vernon would not have been happy. Bay with two down. Pops this one up, three converge, Hill, Bautista and Overbay but no one near as it bounces into crowd in shallow right. A life for Bay. Strikes out looking, looked low but umpire has been consistent with the call all afternoon.
Bottom 8th: Ramirez now pitching. Lind at bat, one hit nut his 20th home run of the season. Oh boy they drop the ball. A pop up to third, Lowell calling for it and had it but Lowrie knocked it out of his glove, as three of them converge, and Adam motors to second. Rolen, now make ‘em pay Scott. 3-0 count. Full count and walks him. Two on and no outs for Overbay, big one here please Lyle, rub this one in. Pops it up to shallow left for Bay. One down. Rios, big chance here Alex, strikes out. No sense of occasion our Alex. Millar, 0-2. Wild pitch sails but Kottaras has it. Downs ready in bullpen. Another one sails. Ramirez a little wild here. Called third strike low, Kevin same as last time, you gotta learn boyo with this umpire. Same pitch you had last strikeout and the same one Bay had last inning for a strikeout.

Top 9th: Can Jays win this one here? Downs coming in. Lowell doubles past Rolen into left. Baldelli,0-2 and fouling them off here, number five, strikes out finally. Lowell stays at second as Chavez throw to first for the out. Lowrie, 0-2 opposite field this time. I wish Jays hitters did that more often especially Rios and Wells.. Pops up to shallow right for Bautiusta, two down for pinch hitter Varitek, you cannot fault Francona for trying to win this thing down to the last at bat. Grounds to Rolen, throw to Overbay and yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus.
Jays have beaten Boston and convincingly, setting up tomorrow’s game with Halladay and Lester. But this one was big. Great defense good clutch hitting and good pitching.