Jays v Rockies in Colorado. Friday June 11.
Although Jays get some consolation last night in beating the Rays and gaining a game on the top three, it does not get any easier in Colorado. Very tough series for Jays and starting with Jiminez, just happens to be the best pitcher in all of the majors right now with 11-1 record and .93 ERA. That is some pitching. However if he continues on that level he will win 30 games which is not going to happen so law of averages he has to lose a few more, maybe starting tonight. Add in the loss of DH for Jays and need for pitcher to hit and the Jays start with two strikes on them.
On the other hand IF Jays hitters can get back on track then this ballpark could favour them provided of course that they can hit Jiminez !
Lineups: Jays: Lewis, Hill, Lind, Wells, Bautista, Gonzalez, Overbay, Buck, Romero.
Rockies: Gonzalez, Helton, Tulowitzki, Hawpe, Mora, Spilborghs, Olivo, Barmes, Jiminez.
Pitching: Romero v Jiminez.
Rain delay for an hour and a half.
Top 1st: Lewis leading off. Grounds to Tulowitzki at short, throw to Helton at first one down. Hill. 3-0 count, full count. Rain still falling. Grounds to Mora at third, long throw to Helton for second out. Lind with two down. Slow roller to Helton at first takes it himself for third out. Jays go quietly three up and down.
Bottom 1st: Gonzalez leading off, strikes out on three pitches. Helton, rain really heavy now. Not sure this is going to continue long. Grounds to Overbay flip to Romero for the out.Tulowitzki with two down. Fly ball first pitch to Wells in centre. Nice inning for Romero. 8 pitches.
Top 2nd: Wells leading off. 2-0 count, 3-1, and walks, Bautista, trying to pull, go the other way Jose. 2-2, Full count. Vernon going, throw down wide, Bautista strikes out. One down but Vernon at second for Gonzalez. Rain is easing. Pops it up to Tulowitzki at short, for second out, Vernon has to hold. Overbay, 2-2 count. Outside ball three, Vernon will be running. Lyle doubles to the wall, here comes Vernon, 1-0 Jays. Overbay goes for three on the throw safe at third. That was very close Lyle but second triple of the season. Buck with Lyle at third, bring him in John. This is not fun with this weather, rain and wind. Takes strike three but Jays take early lead. 36 pitches for Jiminez already.
Bottom 2nd: Romero will have to bat next inning so he needs a quick one here. Fly ball first pitch to Wells, one down. Mora an old friend from the AL Baltimore days, grounds to Gonzalez throw to Overbay, two down. Spilborghs. NO… line drive to right, over leaping Lewis, home run. 1-1. Great try by Fred in right at the wall. Olivo grounds roller up the middle, seeing eye hit there. Barmes 0-2 count, this is trouble, lines double to the wall in left, here comes Olivo 2-1 Rockies. Jiminez with two down and one on. Grounds to Hill, throw to Overbay for third out, but Rockies are back in this game.
Top 3rd: Romero leading off. Cito does not like this pitchers hitting. 2-1 count. 2-2, count. Full count, strikes out but took six pitches to get the out. That is fine Ricky. Now relax for a few minutes. Lewis. 3-0 taking all the way and patience is the word tonight, another walk. Hill, with Lewis at first and one down. That’s the way Aaron, high fly ball into left, here comes Lewis here comes Aaron, and Jays retake the lead, 3-2 Jays. Home run number nine for Hill. Lind, high fly ball to right centre but this one stays in, two down. Jays are certainly getting their hits on Jiminez. Wells, 2-2 count, Vernon thought that was inside. Grounds to first throw just beats him at the bag, Vernon really hustled down the line there may have beaten it out as well..
Bottom 3rd: Gonzalez, singles into shallow centre, one on for Helton 2-2 count. That’s the way guys, grounds to Gonzalez, to Hill on to Overbay double play ball. Two down for Tulowitzki. Rain seems to have eased up. Strikes out swinging. Very nice Ricky.
Top 4th: Bautista leading off. Pitch way over head off Bautista. Must be rough trying to grip the ball in these conditions. 2-2 count. Grounds to second throw to first beats him, one down. Gonzalez, 3-0 count. Ball four. Third walk for Jiminez. Overbay tripled last at bat. One on one down. This is good singles into right. Gonzalez all the way to third. Runners at the corners with one down. Buck, with Romero on deck. Grounds to short throw to second on to first double play ball. At least Ricky did not have to bat.
Bottom 4th: Hawpe leading off. Lines to Gonzalez for first out. Mora, strikes out swinging. Two down. Spilborghs, doubles to left. Olivo with runner at second and two down. Singles to left here comes Spilborghs. 3-3 game. Barmes, 0-2 count, ball gets away and Olivo goes to second, strikes out.
Top 5th: Romero leading off. Grounds to second, throw to first for the out. One down for Lewis. Jays are really working the count on Jiminez tonight. Another full count. Singles up the middle off the glove of diving Barmes. Hill, home run last at bat, not this time grounds to short, throw to second to get Lewis but no chance for double play. Hill safe at first, two down for Lind. Strikes out swinging.
Bottom 5th: Jiminez, leading off bounces one back to Romero throw to Overbay, one down. Gonzalez. Oh boy, first pitch hammers this one into right field Jays bullpen. Home run, 4-3 Rockies. Helton, strikes out swinging, two down for Tulowitzki. 3-1 count. Walks him. Hawpe with one on and two down. Runner Tulowitzki.going throw down safe at second, 2-0 count. Pops it up to Lind in left to end this one but Rockies have retaken the lead.
Top 6th: Jays hitters need to break out here and chase Jiminez. Wells , oh boy just misses with this one off wall in right, leadoff double for Vernon. Bautista trying to hit that one back to Toronto, misses. 0-2, come on Jose. Have to bring Vernon in here. Terrible swinging way out of the zone. One down that was not a good at bat for Jose. Gonzalez, 1-2 count, strikes out swinging, I guess this is why Jiminez is number one but I would question the wild swinging. Overbay, intentional walk, Lyle loves that a long way since the early months of the season. Two on for Buck. Frasor warming up, pinch hitter for Ricky if Buck gets on? Ball gets away and Vernon goes to third, something that neither Bautista nor Gonzalez could do. 3-0 count. Walking him now.That’s the end of Ricky tonight. Too bad. Jeremy Reed pinch hitting with bases loaded and two down. Conference on the mound. Rain is starting again. Jays need to get a run here or if game is called they could lose it now. Give me a break Jeremy, lines first pitch to short for the out. Romero could have done that. Ricky disappears down the stairs in the dugout I don’t blame him, that was one pathetic at bat by Reed. At least take a couple, a wild pitch could have scored a run, apply some pressure, push up the pitch count. Please hurry back Travis.
Only 74 pitches for Ricky, what a waste by Reed.
Bottom 6th: Over to the bullpen now. Frasor and rain coming down hard. Reed will rue that at bat. Mora grounds to Gonzalez, had trouble getting hold of the ball and no throw. Slipped out of his hand. Spilborghs already 2-2 tonight, 2-0 count. Full count, doubles over head of Lewis, to right. Lewis says he didn’t see it through the rain. Two in scoring position and no outs. Frasor in deep here. Rain in torrents. Olivo, swings at high pitch inside strikes out. Umpire out to talk to Frasor about the pitching mound, Rain torrential. Intentional walk to Barmes to load bases. That’s it for Jiminez. Pinch hitter for him, Seth Smith, bases loaded still only one out. Cito out talking to umpire but now going to bullpen. Tallet ???? Oh Cito, you certainly live dangerously. Smith swings at ball one, fly ball to right, here comes the run, runner moves up to third on the throw. Smith does his job. 5-3 Rockies with two down. Gonzalez, 1-2 count, strikes out but Rockies have another and Jays need at least three to win.
Top 7th: It will be interesting to see what if anything Jays hitters can now do without Jiminez pitching. All academic this one is over, tarp back out on the field. Umpire talking to Cito about the weather. That will be it tonight. No way will Rockies want to finish this. Crowd thinks so also they have disappeared. (Game now called)
This will be called as win for Rockies. Reed’s at bat was the key at bat in this game. Tough for Romero, he really pitched well enough to win this one. Jiminez with five walks definitely not on his game and with 106 pitches for six innings would have been out anyway.
The good: Romero, Hill with a home run, Vernon with his hit, Overbay with two including the triple. Hitters gave Jiminez a rough time.
The very bad: Sorry but Jeremy Reed without a doubt. Bases loaded and pinch hitting first pitch out. Inexcusable and in my book cost Jays this game.
Although I did not have Jays down to win this one tonight they played well enough to win. Tomorrow another day if weather improves.
The good news is that Tampa lost big to the Marlins tonight.
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