Eveland digs the big hole but Jays make it close at the end

Jays v Red Sox. Game one of three Monday April 26.

Lineups:
Boston: Scutaro, Pedroia, Youkilis, Lowell, Drew, Varitek, Beltre, Hall, McDonald.
Toronto: Lewis, Hill, Lind, Wells, Overbay, Gonzalez, Bautista, Buck, Snider.
Pitching: Beckett v Eveland

Top 1st: Scutaro first trip back, leading off, singles up the middle, Pedroia with one on. lines hard at Bautista nice catch Jose. Scutaro back to first, one down for Youkilis, singles into left. Red Sox hitting Eveland hard here. Two on for Lowell. Singles into left, Scutaro held at third, and bases are loaded. Eveland in trouble already. Drew with one down. Singles into right here comes the throw Pedroia out at the plate. Nice throw Travis right on the button. 1-0 Boston though. Two down. Varitek, strikes out. Eveland manages to get out of very nasty situation, could have been a lot worse with bases loaded and only one out. Now let’s hope he settles down.
Bottom 1st: Jays need quick answer here against Beckett. Lewis, strikes out. Hill gets hold of this one but long fly ball to left, two quick outs. Patience is not a word in Jays vocabulary at least not with Cito as manager. Lind hammers this one up the middle, just missing Beckett. One on, two down for Vernon. Ball one outside did NOT swing, Vernon not doing that as much this year. Pitchers will have to forget that pitch this year. Vernon gets hold of this one, off the wall in left, just missed, long double, Lind at third. Overbay, pops it up to short. Jays leave two in scoring position, what’s new? But both pitchers shaky this inning.

Top 2nd: Beltre leading off, grounds to Gonzalez, throw to Overbay at first for the out. Hall, Eveland does not have the command he has had earlier this season. Hall, high fly ball to Wells in centre. Eveland escaped there. McDonald strikes out looking. Much better for Dana but there were a few high pitches he lost.
Bottom 2nd: Gonzalez, leading off gets hold of this one but just past foul pole, pops up to Youkilis at first for first down. Bautista grounds back to Beckett, nice play throw to Youkilis at first for second out. Buck, his average sinking fast, 1-24 last at bats, horrible swing at that pitch, 0-2 now full count. That’s much better John, doubles into right centre to the wall. Snider with runner in scoring position, also overdue. Nice swing, hard hit ball but McDonald tracks it down at the wall. Travis gave it a great shot. Jays are hitting Beckett hard but not much joy yet.

Top 3rd: Top of the order again for Boston, Scutaro leading off. Doubles into right field corner, second hit tonight. He has been struggling but obviously likes Toronto cooking. Pedroia, singles into left. Two on no outs, Youkilis, Pedroia stealing not even a throw from Buck. So different from yesterday. Youkilis walks, Bases loaded yet again and this time no outs. Eveland has nothing here tonight. Lowell, pops it up to shallow centre Vernon makes the sliding catch. One down for Drew, strikes out. Two down for Varitek. Singles into centre, two runs score 3-0 Boston. Beltre, with two still on base. Doubles off the wall in right over Snider’s head two more score 5-0 Boston. Walton is out but not much good tonight Eveland is just awful. Hall, wild pitch and Beltre moves up to third base. Accardo up in bullpen. Why not. Full count. Walks him. Number nine batter this inning McDonald. High fly ball out to Snider in right to end this agony for one inning at least. I don’t believe this Jays team will score five against Beckett even though he is not pitching at his best. Eveland 71 pitches after three innings, says it all eight yes eight hits and add in the two walks. And that about sums up his sorry night.

Bottom 3rd: Lewis leading off full count. Off the wall in left, stretches it into a triple, nice speed Fred. The hits are fine it is just getting them when a runner is in scoring position tonight. Hill, can he do it ? even a bunt will do Aaron. Finally a hit when it counts, singles up the middle here comes Lewis and Jays are on the board but a long, long way to go yet. Jays have five hits but only one run to show for it. 5-1. Lind, pops it up to shallow right, no chance for Aaron to move up, one down for Vernon. That should do it; doubles down left field line, Hill can only make it to third, what was wrong there? Overbay, another chance Lyle, you have had so many. Bring them both in, 3-0 count. Beckett’s turn to be in trouble now. Taking both those two down the middle, asking for trouble here Lyle. Count full, that’s the boy Lyle doubles into right centre and Jays get two more back. 5-3 game. Gonzalez can tie this one up with one swing here. Singles up the middle, Overbay to third. Bautista runners at the corners, go ahead run. OH MY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he does it. High fly ball into left field second deck seats three run homerun 6-5 Jays. Buck now with bases empty but only one out. Atchison up in Boston bullpen, strikes out. two down for Snider. 3-0 count. Full count, walks him, ball outside and Travis lays off it, nice at bat Travis. Top of the order again Lewis who started it all with that triple. Travis stealing but Fred strikes out. When did Beckett ever give up six runs in one inning? 40 pitch inning for Beckett and he also is at 72 as Eveland. Jays back in this thing, but who is pitching?


Top 4th: Eveland pitching, ok Cito your call but…for how long? Scutaro leading off, 2-2 tonight. Eveland’s problem appears to be control as he almost hits Scutaro. Full count, walks him. That gamble didn’t work Cito. But Cito leaving him there. Pedroia, Eveland just unable to throw strikes. Accardo back up. Oh boy bounces back to Eveland throw to second not in time that should have been two. Hill was slow to cover and Gonzalez comes in front of bag as he was going for that bounce. Both runners safe and that is finally it for Eveland. His night is definitely not dome here as he has left Accardo with two on base and no outs and Acardo was one of the bullpen culprits who blew the game on Saturday. What does he have tonight? Youkilis singles to Wells in centre, bases loaded no outs. Lowell, wild pitch !!!! Scutaro says thank you very much and this game is tied up. How bad can this team get? 6-6. Runners at second and third. No outs. Strikes out, first out in the inning and one less off Evelands’s line tonight. Drew, 3-0 in danger of loading them up yet again. Drew does not like that call, thought it was ball four. That one is and bases loaded. Cito I don’t think your pitcher has it tonight…. One of Jays problems is that they have no long relief guy who can take four innings. Varitek, need a ground ball here Jeremy. 3-0 count. Single into centre, two more runs score. Why did Accardo ever think he could be a closer ???? 8-6 Boston. Camp now up. Beltre, strikes out, two down. Hall another full count. Accardo up to 30 pitch inning. Ground ball to Bautista throw to first to end this agony. Poor managerial decision to start Eveland and even worse to let Accardo out there. I think he might well be on the bus to Vegas tonight.

Bottom 4th: This game is almost two hours and we are not out of the fourth inning. Beckett gets a new life so I would be very surprised if gives the lead back. Hill leading off. Jays need base runners. Full count. Walks him. Lind, Atchison up again in Boston bullpen. 3-0 count on Adam. walks on four pitches, Two on for Wells. 2-2 tonight. Here comes Francona. Battle of the bullpens now. Interesting everyone on Jays lineup has a hit tonight except Snider. Scott Atchison now pitching. Vernon lines toYoukilis, Hill has to retreat to second, throw bounces into left but no chance to advance. I like Vernon going the other way though. Overbay with one down, strikes out. Two down. Gonzalez, 0-2, hanging tough though, now full count, YES OH BOY what next. High fly ball into left centre, off the glove of Hall in left field, two runs score and Gonzalez has a triple. I think if he had not stood there watching this one thinking it a home run he may well have had an in the park home run. That being said it was one great at bat by Gonzalez down 0-2 and battling back. This game is all tied up yet again 8-8. Bautista with runner at third. Another full count. Strikes out but what a game. 2 hours and 15 minutes…. Some games finish under this time.

Top 5th: Camp now pitching, he may have to go two if he can. McDonald leading off. Grounds to Gonzalez, throw to Overbay one down. Scutaro same play, grounds to Gonzalez throw to Overbay. Two down. Pedroia, singles up the middle just out of reach of Gonzalez. Youkilis, there goes the runner, again no throw. Buck has no chance. Second steal by Pedroia tonight. The difference between Molina and Buck is that Molina always sets up when a runner is on first, and he is the position to make quick throw, Buck never seems to anticipate that and this never has that extra split second to throw. Youkilis singles to Lewis in left and here comes the runner 9-8 Boston. Cito out surely not taking him out. No have no idea what that was, he never appeared when Eveland and Accardo were giving up runs. Lowell, fly ball to Wells and the bleeding has sort of stopped. One run is a pleasant change and certainly Camp gives more confidence out there than the other two had.
Bottom 5th: Boston’s bullpen turn Atchison still out there. Buck swinging at pitch way high. Grounds to short, quick out. Snider first pitch pop up to left, two quick outs. Lewis bounces one to third no chance to throw, Lewis on first, Hill with two down. 3-0 count. Walks on ball four. Two on for Lind. Here comes Francona. 23 hits in this game so far. 12 to Boston 11 Jays. Scott Schoeneweis pitching. Lefty-lefty. Way to go Adam, singles up the middle. Lewis scores easily. 9—9 game. Wells with runners at first and second. Grounds to third tags out Aaron.

Top 6th: Drew leading off fly ball to Lewis in left. One down. Varitek, broken bat single to centre. Janssen up in bullpen. Beltre, singles to centre, another broken bat. Hermida pinch hitting for Hall strikes out. Two down. Oh no here comes Cito. Let him finish it off Cito. Janssen now pitching with two on and two down. Never ever works for you does it Cito. McDonald doubles into left field here comes the run 10-9 Boston. Scutaro with two in scoring position grounds to third Bautista throw to first no good, run scores 11-9. Pedroia, full count, doubles into left corner one run scores, here comes another, Buck tags and drops the ball. 13-9. Pathetic defence not the pitching this inning. Cito should have left Camp in there for one more out. How long does Buck have to stay in there? Youkilis, hits him. Some frustration here Casey? Lowell with two on. Pops it up to Hill to end this one.

Bottom 6th: Can Jays do it again? Overbay facing Schoeneweis 3-0 count. Well there’s one back, Lyle tags this one deep to centre, home run Lyle….. no doubt about that one, 13-10. That’s it for Schoeneweis, so much for percentages and left lefty matchups tonight. Both Lind and Overbay proved it otherwise. Delcarmen now pitching, Gonzalez, pops up to third one down. Bautista fly ball to centre. Buck, lines it out to centre. Jays get one but not enough yet.

Top 7th: Someone has to stop the bleeding here. Will it be Downs? No Cito leaving Janssen out there. Someone has to eat these innings. Leading off Lowell fly ball to Wells in centre one down. Drew strikes out, two down. Beltre, loops it off the end of his bat into left. That ball was about three inches off the ground, a golf shot. Hermida, full count. Strikes him out, Very nice Casey, what might have been with some decent defense last inning.
Bottom 7th: Delcarmen pitching, Snider hitless tonight. The only Jay without. Strikes out again. One down. Top of the order. Lewis, 2-4 tonight. Grounds to second, throw to first two down for Hill. A hit and two walks, Lines it deep to centre but playable to end the inning. Jays hitters are finally running out of steam. We will probably see a 1-0 game tomorrow.

Top 8th: Should be Downs ? Yes it is. McDonald leading off. Strikes out. One down for Scutaro. Three hits and a walk tonight in his return to Toronto. Strikes out looking. Very nice Scott. Two down for Pedroia, Pops it up to Wells in centre, three up and down easy inning for Downs.
Bottom 8th: Okajima now pitching. Jays will probably only get a couple of hitters before Papelbon is in. Lind leading off. 0-2, singles into left, one on for Wells. Full count. Vernon grounds back at Okajima bounces off his leg and both runners safe. Overbay tying run !! Here comes one, Lyle does it again, singles into centre, Lind scores, Vernon to third. 13-11. Still no outs. 34 hits in this game, 16 to Jays. But the run totals are what counts. Daniel Bard now pitching. Gonzalez going for the fence with that swing. Strikes out swinging. Maybe just maybe a little too over eager. One down for Bautista. This will do it fly ball to shallow right deep enough for Vernon to come home. 13-12 game. Two down. Buck now prove me wrong about you John. Runner at first. Just get on base for Travis. Strikes out looking. Man swing the bat, you have seen that low call all night long.

Top 9th: Can Jays bullpen hold now? Game is four hours long. I think everyone is drained. Gregg pitching for Jays. Thank you Cito I thought you might bring in Frasor. Youkilis. Grounds to third throw to Lyle at first one down. Papelbon working in Boston bullpen. Lowell grounds to Gonzalez throw to Overbay two down. Drew with two down, home run cut there, strikes him out same location as Buck’s strikeout.
Bottom 9th: Papelbon facing Snider leading off. Travis the only one without a hit. Come on Travis. Make our night. Papelbon this season 5/5 save/opportunities. Travis strikes out. Top of the order Lewis. Grounds to short, throw to first, two down for Hill. Pops it up to shallow right. Jays lose this marathon slug-fest 13-12.

The very good: Overbay, Lyle had three hits tonight including a home run and a double. His average now .183. Lind, Wells and Overbay each had three hits. Gonzalez two. Bautista had 4 RBIs.

The good: Jays hitters never gave up. Downs and Gregg two scoreless innings to give Jays a chance at the end.

The bad: Eveland just didn’t have it. Was awful. Jays in the hole 5-0 but in retrospect did well to climb back to one at the end. Accardo had nothing again, with Frasor and Tallet the three weaknesses in the bullpen. Janssen was victimized in my book by poor defense behind him on two plays which were outs. Camp should have finished off the one inning. Little things but in the end a one run game, they count. More importantly the momentum for tomorrow’s game which is now with Boston forcing Jays to win both remaining games for the series at home.

Post game: Jays need long relief one way or the other. This has been hidden deficiency with the starters going six or deeper for so long this season. I would send/get rid of anyway possible Accardo and bring up Mills or even Drabek who could also double as a starter if needed. If Tallet is fit then use him. Jays are also short of someone to pitch in extra innings. Also put Molina in at least every other game now. Buck is just not up to it and the word is getting around, run on Buck. Cito out-managed yet again.