Game two Toronto v Oakland. Game two of three.
Rickey Henderson Day in Oakland , hard to watch and remember when we never see anything like that speed or hustle in Toronto. Response to the Rolen trade though has been overall positive. We will see. Sad to see Rolen go but evidently it was a personal family issue and we can’t argue with that. It must be so hard to be on the road for six months of the year plus spring training, not much time for a family but now at least Scott will be close top home for half of the season. Jays will miss him bigtime, he was playing so well this season, not just for his hitting, but his glove and his leadership. He leaves a vacuum Vernon ???? Who will pick it up?
Surely Jays can’t throw it around the way they did last night with three almost four errors. Cito is on the hot seat to get this team motivated and to do something about Wells and Rios. He is the hitting guru they obviously need his skills….
Lineups: Toronto: Scutaro, Hill, Lind, Overbay, Wells, Rios, Encarnacion, Chavez, Inglett and Cecil pitching. New third base Encrnacion first game for Jays.
Oakland: Kennedy, Davis, Suzuki, Hairston, Cust, Everidge. Crosby, Ellis, Pennington, and Cahill pitching.
Very sad to see the Jays lineup. In April and May Jays had eight home runs Snider at number nine and had hitters all the way down the line. Now it ends at number four !!! JP it is not pitchers this team needs.
The very good: Cecil going seven, had one very bad inning and could have gone longer without those 37 pitches in the second but he obviously did well for rest of the game. Bullpen League, and Frasor saving this one with tie run at third. Hill with home run and his glove.
The good: Yankees lose two in a row to Chicago and Burnett losing. That is the good news. Vernon gets two hits so let’s be charitable here. Definitely Edwin Encarnacion, first hit, first run and his glove was fine. Not a Rolen but has age on his side at 26 to contribute to Jays for some years. Chavez deserves a good tonight with his two hits.
The very bad: Cecil giving up a three run lead in the second inning. Downs, is he finished? Certainly as the closer for Jays. Lets see what the injury is. But regardless I don’t see him being the closer anymore. Cito had short fuse with BJ Ryan but this is SIX games in a row for Downs.. But Cito is a stubborn man and could stick with Downs. Rios 0-4 … what can be done with this guy?
Top 1st: Top three had such a great night last night, so hard to duplicate it, but Jays desperately need them to do so. Cahill has been roughed up his last six starts but is probably looking forward to having an easier game against the hitless Jays tonight. 49 walks to 56 strikeouts. Control issue ??? But that is why the free swinging first pitch Jays will help him tonight. You don’t see Vernon and Alex walking much. Scutaro leading off, three hits last night, can he get it going again tonight? No, takes third strike, one down for Hill. Grounds (first pitch) to Pennington at short, two down for Lind. 2-2 fly ball to Davis in centre. Jays go quietly one, two three. 13 pitches.
Bottom 1st: Kennedy leading off, Cecil pitching. Grounds to Hill, throw to Overbay, one down. Davis, doubles to right field corner, one on one down for Suzuki, chance to bring Davis in. Davis stealing but this is Chavez, great arm, throw gets him at third, Encarnacion first out as a Jay !!! Relay inconclusive but doubtful.Two down, full count. Suzuki grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay for third out. 14 pitches.
Top 2nd: Big bats now, who were certainly missing last night but Overbay back in lineup so I hope that helps tonight. Overbay leading off. We don’t often see Lyle in cleanup role, but who else is there now? His usual patience at bat, 3-1. Full count, Whoa, Lyle, great swing, drives this one to centre right at the 388 sign, this one is out of here, 1-0 Jays. Vernon, were you watching on deck there? Singles to second, cannot hold on to it, knocks it down to save a double. Vernon safe at first. Rios with runner on and no outs, Your turn Alex. Fly ball to Davis but Vernon cannot move, at least it was not a double play Alex. One down for Edwin Encarnacion, first at bat as Jay. Yes Edwin, singles to centre, that will do just fine. Vernon moves up to second. Two on one out for Chavez. 3-1 count, a pitch away form loading them up. Both Vernon and Edwin running on pitch and Raul singles to left, Vernon scores 2-0 Jays. Aggression by Cito tonight… great to see something different. Inglett with two on and one down. Lifts this on into shallow left centre but Hairston has it, two down and runners both hold. Scutaro with two on. 3-0 count, Ball four and bases loaded for Hill. Chance to break it open Aaron. Takes ball one. Grounds it through Pennington at short, no error but close, Encarnacion scores 3-0 Jays, his first hit and first run and first out. Not bad for two innings work. Bases still loaded for Lind. Gets way under it high, high fly ball to Davis for third out and leave bases loaded but Jays have three. 44 pitch count.
Bottom 2nd: Cecil now has a good lead to work with here. Hairston, grounds to Encarnacion, long smooth throw to Overbay for the out. Cust, full count, didn’t like that called strike. Singles into left. Shift was too far over, note to Cito. Everidge, 0-2, singles to left, two on one down for Crosby, come on Brett, here’s trouble, Crosby hammers this one over head of Wells in centre, run scores, 3-1. Three successive hits. Crosby at second, Ellis with two in scoring position. 3-1 count. Full count. Ball four. Cecil coming apart here. Pennington with bases loaded and one down. Pops it up to Encarnacion, two down but bases still loaded for lead off hitter Kennedy. 2-0 count. There’s a strike, the very worst, doubles into right corner and clears the bases 4-3 Oakland. How can you give up a 3-0 lead Brett? Davis, strikes out looking but Cecil has given best imitation of return ticket to Vegas here. Over 50 potches already. I guess we will be seeing one of the new pitchers at least tonight. But that was a very, very poor inning by Cecil. 51 pitch count. That was a 37 pitch inning, ouch, ouch bigtime.
Top 3rd: Cahill comes out feeling a lot better now with a lead, ten minutes ago he was down three. Overbay leading off. Full count, and walks on ball four. Here comes Vernon 1-1 tonight.. back to his usual, grounds (first pitch) to short on to second on to first double play ball. Oh Vernon. Rios, at least he can’t do the same. He tries to though, pulls a ball way outside to third. How can you do that Alex? Throw to first for third out. Cahill an easy inning, any inning with Wells and Rios has a good chance of being easy. 56 pitch count.
Bottom 3rd: Cecil hardly sat down, back out there. Suzuki, pops up to Scutaro, one down for Hairston, pops up first pitch (it is contagious) to Inglett in shallow left. Two down for Cust. Strikes out on four pitches, much much better Brett. Eight pitch inning. 59 pitch count.
Top 4th: Encarnacion leading off, he must be happy he is not hitting in front of Vernon or Alex. Takes ball one, ball two, gets under this one, fly ball to left, one down. Chavez, way to go Raul, doubles down left field line. Inglett, bring him in Joe. Not like that, (first pitch) pop up to short, two down. Scutaro with Chavez at second. 0-2, don’t take this one Marco. Bounces to the plate, ball one. 2-2, full count. Ball four, two down two on for Hill. Oh YES Aaron, Coral Bay is happy, gets hold of this one high into left home run and three more runs, 4rbis night for Aaron. 6-4 Jays. Lind, strikes out but Hill gets Jays back out ahead for Cecil. 77 pitch count for Cahill.
Bottom 4th: Everidge leading off. Grounds it to Cecil throw to Overbay, one down. Crosby, started the trouble last at bat. Grounds to third Encarnacion, nice smooth throw to Overbay. Two down. Ellis, lines out to Rios in right for third out. By the way Alex now playing closer to the line, Cito or someone must have noticed that he has already been caught out a couple of times not being able to cut off balls into the corner, playing too far to centre. 68 pitch count.
Top 5th: Overbay leading off again. This could be last inning for Cahill if Jays beat him up taking pitches. Posp this one up very nice catch at the third base tarp by Kennedey. One down for Wells, way outside swings at first pitch. way outside, almost falls over. That’s better Vernon singles yup the middle. Second time tonight. Beats pulling every ball. Rios, one on one down,. Bullpen working for A’s. Vernon going but Alex fouls it off. Grounds it to third, on to second Vernon out sliding, throw not in time to get Alex, avoids the double play. Now you have to steal Alex. Two down for Encarnacion. There you go Alex, agro, not wasting much time.… steals second. High, high, high fly ball to Davis in centre field, Edwin got under that one. That may be last inning for Cahill. Bullpen is working. 92 pitch count.
Bottom 5th: Pennington leading off. Fly ball to Inglett in left, one down. Back to the top of the order. Kennedy, grounds up the line to Overbay takes it himself to the bag for second out. Davis, lines out to Inglett in left. Three up and down for Cecil. If you take out that one 37 pitch inning, Cecil has not done a bad job. 76 pitch count.
Top 6th: Cahill out to start this one. Chavez leading off. 2-2 tonight. Half way to the cycle with double and single.!! Not so sure Raul could get a triple though…..Grounds to short, throw to first one down. Sorry Raul. Inglett, full count, I think if Joe gets on here that could be last hitter for Chahill tonight. Ball four, yes, I called that right, you can’t walk number nine guy. The end for Cahill. 105 pitch count and four more walks tonight to add to his collection. Casilla now pitching. Scutaro, Inglett stealing, Scutaro strikes out, throw to second double play. Ouch. Chose that wrong Joe.
Bottom 6th: Suzuki leading off. Cecil still in there but I am guessing we might see new pitcher Roenicke soon. Let’s see if Brett can get through this one at least. High fly ball to Wells in centre left. One down for Hairston. Pops it up to Overbay, long run in foul territory, there’s lots of room behind the plate here in Oakland. Two down for Cust, strikes out, another good inning for Cecil. He would love to have the second inning back. 87 pitch count, May start the next one at least, could get a couple of outs.
Top 7th: Hill grounds to Ellis at second, throw to Crosby at first one down. Lind, hitless tonight. Grounds to Pennington at short, throw to Crosby for second out. Overbay, singles into centre. Vernon with two down and one on. On base twice tonight. But we need some power Vernon. Where has it gone??? 2-2 he can’t hold off those low pitches, full count. Lyle will be running. That was ball four but Vernon does not care, he wants a hit, Lyle doing wind sprints, that’s three in a row. Pulls this one to Ellis at short throw to Crosby for third out.
Bottom 7th: Everidge first pitch fly ball to Wells in centre, one down. Crosby, 0-2, 2-2, fly ball to Rios in right, two down. Roenicke up in bullpen. Cito took my advice. Ellis two down, 2-2, full count, lines it to Rios, dives for it but cannot make catch. We don’t often if ever, see Alex diving for the ball but he made good attempt here. Ellis at first, Pennington grounds to Scutaro throw to Hill at second for the force on Ellis, very close call but third out.
Top 8th: Rios leading off, hitless again tonight. Strikes out. Another 0-4 night for Alex. Encarnacion, lines it hard but right at Pennington makes a nice grab for second out. Chavez, 2-3 tonight. Ground ball along first base line for the out by Crosby at first.
Bottom 8th: No, not Roenicke here, League this time. Top of the order, Kennedy to leadoff. High fly ball to Inglett in left. One down. Davis, full count, that was very close. Grounds this one to Hill, throw to Overbay, two down for Suzuki. Grounds it up the middle, great play by Hill and perfect throw to Overbay for the out.
Top 9th: But big questions is who will pitch ninth for Jays? Downs ? or Frasor ? Cito is old school, I guess Downs. But to help him out Jays hitters could get a couple more here. Edgar Gonzalez now pitching. Another 29 walks 24 strikeout pitcher. Control, where are you control? Inglett lines out (first pitch) to in left centre. You will never know Joe will you, that Gonzalez has control problems? You don’t go after first pitch with a guy who has walked more than he has struck out. One down for Scutaro. 2-2. Grounds to second throw to Crosby for second out. Hill, great night with bat and glove tonight. 3-0 count. Are you watching Joe? Pops up to Ellis at second.
Bottom 9th: Downs it is but probably on a very short leash. Hairston leading off. Grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay, one down. Cust, grounds back to Downs, muffs this one off his glove, no throw for Hill, should have let it go through to Hill. Cust at first. Everidge, here we go again, doubles to right. Two in scoring position one down, a single will tie this up. Downs reckons he is injured, we all are Scott watching you for the last six outings. Trainer out with Cito. Downs is bent over in pain. Is it his hand or reinjured his toe? Perhaps from the last play. I thought it hit his glove but could have been his pitching hand. Frasor now pitching. Game on the line here. Garciaparra pinch hitting for Crosby. Patterson pinch running at second for Everidge. Full count. Grounds back to Frasor, throw to first for second out, run scores. 6-5.
Should Frasor have come home? Sweeney with tie run at third, two down here comes Cito.Tells him what to do. 2-2 strikes him out looking.
Way to go Jason, is he ever happy. He may have just nailed the closer position as well.
Jays win one !!! Yankees have already lost so Jays pick up one on them although both Rays and Boston have won.
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