Unimaginative listless Jays ruin good outing by Downs

Boston v Jays Tuesday April 27.

I see Cito read the blog last night and bought a bus ticket to Vegas for Accardo, Jeremy would not be very happy but no one to blame but himself. Hello to Roenicke and Rommie Lewis who had pitched so very well in Dunedin in the spring. Fresh arms for a while at least. I don’t think we will see 25 runs tonight but it could be the team that gets into the bullpen first that wins.

Lineups:
Boston: Scutaro, Pedroia, Martinez, Youkilis, Drew, Ortiz, Beltre, Hermida, McDonald.
Toronto: Same as last night. Lewis, Hill, Lind, Wells, Overbay, Gonzalez, Bautista, Buck, Snider.

Pitching: Marcum v Bucholz

Top 1st: Scutaro, pop up to Hill at second, one down for Pedroia. Lines out to right Snider makes overhead catch, he is starting to get used to that position but has his adventures sometimes misjudging but then so did Rios and he played it a lot longer. Martinez, with two down. Full count. Grounds to Hill throw to Overbay for third out. Nice inning 11 pitches.
Bottom 1st: Lewis leading off, singles up the middle, good start. Fred is staking a place here and making it more difficult for Cito when Encarnacion returns. If nothing else he is a great threat on the bases with his speed. Hill, bounces it in front of Bucholz, no chance to double up Fred throw to first to get Hill but Aaron did his job. Now up to the big bats. Lind high fly ball to left no chance to tag and move up. Two down for Wells, high and inside Vernon not swinging at that one. This will do it doubles right down the third base line into left. Lewis scores easily. 1-0 Jays. Overbay, is he still hot after great 3-5 last night? 3-1 count. Walks him. Two on for Gonzalez. Grounds to Scutaro throw to second for final out. Jays leave two out there. 22 pitch count for Bucholz.

Top 2nd: Youkilis full count, ball three looked fine to me, doesn’t matter Youkilis swings over this one , one down. Drew, Marcum not getting those corner pitches, Drew strikes out on one that looked high. Interesting strike zone tonight. Two down for Ortiz, did not play last night. 3-1 count, being careful full count. Does not like that call, I tend to agree with Ortiz but if umpire is consistent then same for everyone. Hanging in here against Marcum. Walks him. At least he is not going to steal so don’t worry about him Marcum. Two down one on for Beltre, pops it up into centre too shallow for Vernon. Two on for Hermida, full count, singles into left, here comes Ortiz, was running on the count. 1-1 game. McDonald, with two on. Grounds to short throw to first for third out but Boston tie it up. And Marcum threw a lot of pitches here. 34 pitches that inning. Jays need a long outing from the starter tonight and to rest the bullpen.
Bottom 2nd: Bautista leading off hard back at Bucholz, great instinctive play, throw to first one down. Buck .167 average, needs to step it up. Fouling them off at least. Lines out to centre. Two down for another struggling bat, Snider. Just does not look comfortable at all but who would with a .133 average? Pops it up to short. Jays go far too quietly. 35 pitches for Bucholz.

Top 3rd: Scutaro leading off again. Lines it past Marcum’s glove, Hill makes the play at second throw to Overbay at first, one down. Pedroia grounds it slowly to third no throw on the play. Need a double play ball here Shaun. Martinez, fly ball to Lewis in left throw to second holds Pedroia at first. I am surprised he is not trying to steal on Buck. Youkilis. Two down. Grounds to Hill throw to Overbay for third out. But the pitch count is mounting for Marcum. 62 pitches for three innings. That’s a five inning game.
Bottom 3rd: Come in give the guy some run support here. Lewis gives it a long drive to centre, nice swing Fred but out at the wall. One pitch one out. Hill, grounds to Scutaro at short, throw to first for second out. Lind grounds up the middle off the mound to Scutaro makes the play to first for the first out. Three up and won very quickly Jays hitters have no patience. It will be interesting to see the style of Cito’s replacement. Yankees and Boston are both far more patient at the plate and help drive up that pitch count. Here it doesn’t seem to matter but as we saw with Price on Sunday it enabled him to pitch complete game with all the impatient bats of the Jays.

Top 4th: Drew walks, you can’t afford this Shaun, Ortiz, one on grounds t hill underhand throw to Gonzalez throw to Lyle at first double play ball. Beltre grounds to Bautista throw to Overbay you needed that one Shaun. Only seven pitches. 69 pitches.
Bottom 4th: Wells leading off, strikes out swinging on three pitches. Overbay grounds (yes) first pitch to first throw to Bucholz for the second out. Gonzalez first pitch swinging what’s wrong with these guys, singles into centre. Bautista 0-2 now Gonzalez distracting Bucholz, about time let’s steal here. loops it into shallow right. Two on two down for Buck. Your time has come John. Sure first pitch fly ball to right and that ruined that little rally. Buck is on my list for the bench and fast. Did not even give those two a chance for a double steal or put some pressure on Bucholz. I am not yet convinced of his value to this team. 51 pitches. Jays 1/5 with runners in scoring position.

Top 5th: Hermida drops down a great bunt but Marcum agile here gets to it at the line and throw to Overbay for the out. McDonald, lines it at Gonzalez, great play to trap ball, whirl and throw to Overbay for the out. Scutaro, two down. grounds back to Marcum throw to Overbay three up and down here and quick. Only six pitches? Has really helped himself in the last two innings. Has a chance to go two more and help out the bullpen tonight. 75 pitches.
Bottom 5th: Snider 2-2 count. That’s a much better swing but caught at the track in right. I think Travis will be pleased with that swing. Lewis strikes out. Two down for Hill. Singles into left. One on for Lind, now will Aaron try to steal at least? No need Lind singles first pitch into right. That was the same stroke as Travis but it kept down. Two on two down for Wells. Here comes the coach. Pops it up to shallow right. 68 pitches.

Top 6th: Pedroia leading off strikes out. Martinez grounds to Hill throw to Overbay, two down. Youkilis, strikes out on three pitches, does not like the call. But it stays. Marcum another quick inning. 83 pitches.
Bottom 6th: Overbay fly ball to left. One down for Gonzalez. Strikes out swinging. Two down for Bautista. Full count, grounds to first, throw to Bucholz and Jays go awfully quietly. 82 pitch count.

Top 7th: Could be the last inning for both starters. Drew doubles into the left field corner. Marcum in a tight spot here. Ortiz high pop up to Wells in centre. Almost hit the roof. One down for Beltre, 2-0 count, Marcum not as sharp as he was earlier, 3-0, might as well put him on and go for ground ball double play. Walks him. Good advice… Hermida with two on and one down. Downs warming up in Jays bullpen. There’s pitch number 100. Strikes out, very nice Shaun. Two down. McDonald, Cito will give him one more. Good decision Cito, McDonald pops up to Overbay and this inning is over and Marcum;’s evening. He did well to come back from that earlier start with 62 pitches in his first three innings.
Bottom 7th: Now can the Jays hitters get Bucholz out of this game? Pinch hitter for Buck? Not tonight, sigh. Jays have four hitters averaging under .200 Ouch. Grounds off the glove of Bucholz to Pedroia at second, throw to first, one down. Snider another sub-200 hitter. Swings over first pitch. Walks. Take these victories Travis. Lewis, pops it up to Scutaro behind third, two down. Hill now two down and Travis at first. Pops it up to shallow right. Here comes Downs.

Top 8th: Scutaro leading off you know Marco will be patient here. Full count. Strikes out. Very nice Scott. Pedroia. Singles up the middle. Watch him steal. He knows it is Buck. Will Cito regret not pinch hitting last inning for Buck? Downs does have a great pickoff move though. Martinez, singles to right. Overbay was guarding the base with Pedroia. Two on one down. Youkilis. Gregg up in bullpen. Fly ball to Snider in right, two down but Pedroia gets to third on the throw. Martinez has to hold at first. Drew with two down. 2-0 count. No wild swings from Boston hitters. 3-0. Ortiz on deck. There’s a strike. Walks him. Bases loaded for Ortiz. I don’t think Downs will be facing him. Buck out to talk to Downs, Lowell pinch hitting for Ortiz how tough is that? and here comes Cito. Gregg will try to get third out here, this is the game. Come on Kevin 3-0 here. NO walks him on four pitches and the run. 2-1 Boston. McDonald with bases still loaded. Lines it hard back at Gregg for the out, almost a reflex catch but it counts anyway. But Boston get a run and Papelbon will be stirring.
Bottom 8th: The middle of Jays order. Lind leading off. Bucholz out again on 99 pitches. If only Jays hitters had been this patient earlier in the game he would not be pitching now. Ramirez up in bullpen. 3-1 count, hanging tough fouling a few off here, finally fly ball to left, one down for Wells, grounds first pitch to third, throw to first is wild gets away from Youkilis and Vernon off to second. Overbay with runner in scoring position. Lyle tentative here with his swings, and strikes out, that was an awful at bat Lyle. Gonzalez, there goes Vernon but Gonzalez pops it up to centre. Papelbon looking at another save here. Jays have only themselves to blame for undisciplined hitting all evening and allowing Bucholz to last this long. Smiles and congratulations all round in Boston dugout, they know they have this one and the series barring meltdown by Papelbon. 117 pitches for Bucholz. Could have been out an inning earlier if only Jays had some discipline.

Top 9th: Hermida leading off strikes out, one down. McDonald, grounds to Hill throw to Overbay two down. Scutaro singles into left. Pedroia, grounds to Overbay steps on the bag for the third out.
Bottom 9th: No Papelbon, Ramon Ramirez pitching, but Francona not too worried he should be enough for bottom of the Jays order 1/9 tonight. Van Every in left. Bautista high pop up to left, one down. Buck or pinch hitter? Buck, sigh Cito. Buck first pitch fly ball to centre. Two down. Snider last chance. Poor kid. Free bat for someone as it goes flying into crowd. Two strikes against Travis. Grounds back to Ramirez. And Jays lose a stinker. Clueless and flat tonight.

The good: Nothing that I can think about apart from Marcum seven innings.
The bad: Plenty. Poor and total lack of discipline at the plate. 1/7 with runners in scoring position. Seven hits but only one run. Total lack of small ball by the Manager, not one steal all night. No pinch hitting at all. Surely for Buck in the bottom of the ninth. Why sit Ruiz on the bench? Send him to AAA at least he would get in some games. If Terry Francona can lift David Ortiz for pinch hitter surely something Cito. He just appears to be resigned to whatever happens. Not that he has ever been the most imaginative Manager but surely something different. Jays in real danger of getting swept and tomorrow night Gregg will not be available Papelbon will and if Cito is relying on Frasor tomorrow. Oh dear poor fans. Not the home stand we had hoped for and it really doesn’t matter about Oakland series, Jays have to be competitive with Boston and especially when Boston has been playing so badly.

Footnote: Jarrett Hoffpauir hits for the cycle last night in Vegas. Lots of good bats in AAA Cito.
Maybe time to give Travis a break. Dopirak perhaps, Arencibia for Buck, that would be interesting.