Escobar today as he hits grand slam and five RBIs for Jays win

Series finale. Jays v Orioles. Sunday July 18.

Jays make their roster moves and send Travis to AA. No I don’t like it… Unless there is a trade in the works. Should Litsch be there? Maybe to help Morrow get that extra day with his blister and to stretch innings count in September. But let’s see who is trade bait. Cito and Gregg, well yes of course Gregg was overboard but a closer is the most highly strung guy in the lineup, they live on the edge everytime they get out there. No room for any errors. Gregg’s argument is that he is the closer, get into trouble then get out of it. Speaking of losing his cool, nothing like Burnett yesterday slamming the shower door and cutting both palms between innings, lying it about it at first then telling coach and being pulled in the third.

Return of Marcum, let’s hope he has his good stuff today to give Jays something to get a load of runs.

Lineups: Jays: Lewis, Escobar, Bautista, Wells, Lind, Hill, Overbay, Buck, Encarnacion.
Orioles: Pie, Tejada, Markakis, Wigginton, Jones, Fox, Moore, Bell, Izturis.
Pitching: Matusz v Marcum.

Top 1st: Lewis leading off. Singles back up the middle. Escobar, bunting ? yes indeed first pitch and Lewis to second. One down, Bautista off the end of his bat rolls to first, two down, Lewis moves to third. Wells now with two down. 2-0 count. Ball three, full count. Strikes out swinging. Matusz 15 pitches.
Bottom 1st: Pie leading off, 0-2, lines it hard to right centre Bautista has it for first out. Tejada, singles to left. Markakis with one on. Singles to centre, two on one down for Wigginton. Grounds to Encarnacion throw to Hill, two down. Tejada to third on the play. Jones,0-2 count. This will do it another single into left, here comes Tejada 1-0 Orioles. Marcum not very sharp so far this inning. Two on two down for Fox, strikes out on three but rough start for Marcum. May need a lot of run support today. 16 pitches.

Top 2nd: Lind, singles the opposite field to left, Hill, definitely not bunting.3-1 count and walks, two on no outs for Overbay. Strikes out, Buck doubles into left here comes Lind,1-1 game. Encarnacion with runners at second and third. One down. Strikes out swinging. Why oh why is this guy still here? Lewis, 2-0 count. 3-0. Hits him, bases loaded for Escobar. OH YEAH !!!!!!!!!!! this one is out of here into left field seats, first pitch, GRAND SLAM 5-1 Jays. His first HR of the season. I wonder how that news will go over in Atlanta ? Bautista walks. Wells, 2-0 count. 3-0 did this time in first inning and then struck out. Full count, here we go again ? No, Vernon doubles to left here comes Bautista 6-1 Jays. Mound conference, no that’s it for Matusz. 1 2/3 innings 52 pitches. Now pitching ex-Jay Hendrickson, Lind, pops it up into shallow centre for the out.
Bottom 2nd: Marcum has been sitting a long time but now has a great lead to work with. Moore pops up to Lewis in left. One down for Bell. Fly ball to Lewis in left, two down, Izturis singles first pitch into left. One on two down. Pie, 0-2 count, bounces one up the middle into centre. Tejada, another 0-2 count. Lines to Wells in centre for third out. 32 pitches for Marcum. He is on a pitch count today.

Top 3rd: Hill grounds first pitch to Bell at third, throw to first for the out. Overbay, lines it into left bounces into the seats, ground rule double, Buck lifts it into left and drops, here comes Lyle. 7-1 Jays. Great read on the ball by Lyle. Encarnacion, 3-0 count. Count full again. Fly ball to Jones in centre, two down for Lewis. Strikes out looking.
Bottom 3rd: Markakis leading off. Doubles into right, great throw by Bautista but not enough. Wigginton, strikes out, one down for Jones. Lines it to Vernon in centre, two down. Fox, 1-2 count. Strikes out swinging. Pitch count 49. Orioles have six hits compared to Jays seven but that one big hit counts for four runs.

Top 4th: Grand slam man Escobar leading off. Does it again, singles into left, when you’re hot. 5/11 this series since he joined the Jays. Not bad at all. Bautista, strikes out looking. Wells, pops this up, to left drops in. Bautista has to hold but gets to third, Vernon to first. That was weird play. Lind grounds to first throw to second, back to first not in time and wide of the base. Escobar scores, 8-1 Jays. Lind safe at first. Hill, grounds to third, throw to second to end the inning but Jays score another.
Bottom 4th: Moore, grounds to Overbay at first flip to Marcum for the out. Bell, singles into centre. Izturis, bunting, but foul. Singles into right. Two on one down for Pie. Marcum playing with fire so far today. Lines it to centre right but Bautista makes nice running catch to save a run here. Two down for Tejada. Full count, Marcum not having a great afternoon. Lines it to Lewis in left and Marcum escapes once more but he is definitely not the old Marcum here today. 65 pitches. This game is very slow today.

Top 5th: Overbay leading off, grounds to right, great play by second base to get Lyle at first. Buck, strikes out. Two down for Encarnacion, hitless today.2-2 count. Finally singles to left. Lewis with one on. Hits him again ? Yes, second time in consecutive bats. Escobar, with two on, singles up the middle here comes Encarnacion. 9-1 Jays. Bautista with two on. Grounds to short, throw to second to get Escobar.
Bottom 5th: Marcum needs a quick three up and down inning here. Has struggled most of the afternoon, escaping far too many times. Markakis leading off. Golfs this one into left, that was a very strange one hand stroke, but it counts and he beats the throw at second for a double. Wigginton, 2-2 count. Full count. Pops it up to Bautista in shallow right. One down for Jones, pops up first pitch to Lewis in shallow left, two down for Fox. 2-2 count, strikes out swinging. Jays bullpen now active. Tallet, oh boy. 83 pitches.

Top 6th: That’s it for Marcum looks like a finger problem. Wells leading off. Strikes out swinging. One down for Lind. Grounds to second throw to first, two down. Hill, 2-2 count. High fly ball to left for the out.
Bottom 6th: Here comes Tallet, hang on for the ride here. Scott Moore leading off. 3-0 here we go…. Ball four. Nothing much changes with our dear friend Tallet, walk after walk after walk. Bell, grounds to Encarnacion to Hill over to first for Overbay to make the double play. Rescues Tallet here. Izturis, 1-2 count. Grounds to Encarnacion, throw to Overbay for third out.

Top 7th: Frank Mata now pitching, Overbay leading off. Strikes out swinging on three pitches. Buck, two hit day, full count. Strikes out swinging at ball four. Encarnacion with two down. Singles into left, two hits today and much better fielding day.One on for Lewis. High bouncer back to Mata throw to first for the out.
Bottom 7th: Pie leading off, Tallet still out there. Grounds to Hill, throw to Overbay, one down. Tejada, high fly ball to Bautista in right, two down. Markakis, strikes out looking, much better inning from Tallet.

Top 8th: Escobar leading off. Three hits today already plus his sac bunt, grounds back to Mata this time. Throw to first for the out but he should be very happy with his day. Bautista, hitless today, grounds to third, throw to first for the out. Wells grounds up the middle throw to first called out but very close there.
Bottom 8th: Not many fans left now but it is very hot out there. Casey Janssen pitching. Wigginton grounds wide of Escobar great play to his left to get it (speed) and throw to get him at first. Jones, singles into right. Fox, fly ball to Bautista in right, two down. Moore, grounds to Hill, throw to Overbay for third out. Nice inning by Janssen.

Top 9th: Lind grounds to second, throw to first for the out. Hill grounds to third, throw to first for second out. Overbay, singles to right centre. One on for Buck, doubles to the wall in left, he hammered that one. Overbay at third. Encarnacion with two hits today already. Can he make it three and count big here? Yes he does, grounds it to third, throw to first but high and Edwin safe at first, here comes Lyle to score. Buck goes to third. 10-1 Jays. Lewis, grounds to Izturis at short, throw to second to get Encarnacion.
Bottom 9th: Purcey to pitch this one. Wise in centre for Vernon. Bell leading off 2-2 count. Singles up the middle. One on for Izturis, singles to centre, back to back hits here. Pie, with two on 1-2 count. strikes out swinging. One down for Tejada. Full count. Lines it to right, great running catch by Bautista two down. Markakis with runners at the corners.1-2 count. Fly ball to Lewis in left and this game is over.
Jays win big 10-1 today and sweep the Orioles to start the second half. On to Kansas.

The excellent: Has to be Escobar today, three hits, grand slam, five RBIs and a sac bunt. His first home run of the season. Jays first grand slam of the season that is a very surprising stat with the number of home runs hit by this team.
The good: Has to be Marcum, was not at his best at all and played with fire all afternoon. Buck and Encarnacion both with three hits. Yes even Tallet a good mark today plus Janssen and Purcey.
The bad: Not today friends.

Now, trade news ??? and more roster changes.