Overbay and Jays take Bp on Lester and steamroller Red Sox 16-2

Game one of three Jays v Red Sox . Friday August 20.

Preview: Boston media reckon this series is a given sweep, and all the signs are it could be. Jays on losing streak apart from their swoon against Red Sox this season. No pressure on them. Nobody expects anything from them. Speaking of the Boston media, the big story today of course is Clemens. Interesting to read the public comments, no love lost for Rocket Roger on this one.
Encarnacion injured and McDonald in at third tonight, plus his bat don’t forget he is the only Jay to hit a home run off Lester this season? That is weird.
Great to have Buck back in lineup, playing behind Vernon tonight. Travis batting ninth spot. No pressure on you tonight Travis relax.


Lineups: Jays: Lewis, Escobar, Bautista, Wells, Buck, Hill, Overbay, McDonald, Snider.
Red Sox: Scutaro, Lowrie, Martinez, Ortiz, Beltre, Lowell, Drew, Hall, McDonald.
Another lefty and a very tough one in Lester. He has dominated Jays this season. All the odds against Jays tonight

Top 1st: Lewis leading off. 3-1 count. Patience from Fred here. Ball four, way to go Fred. Escobar, bunting ? Yes and great one up third base line and no chance for Beltre to make a play, two on. Nobody out. Bautista, Takes ball one outside. Oh no, lines it to centre, what is Lewis doing ? does not tag up far too late now. That was very bad. Wells, with two on one down. Whoa, now errant throw by Lester throwing to second to get Lewis ball gets into centre and both runners move up. That was huge error. Two in scoring position now for Wells. 2-2 count. Vernon not swinging at that outside pitch. Full count. Outside ball four to load them up for John Buck. One down. Ball one, Singles into right, here comes Lewis, here comes Escobar, Wells to third. 2-0 Jays. Hill, ball one. Jays are laying off these pitches, pops up to Lowrie at second, too shallow for Vernon to tag here. Two down for Overbay. 3-1 count. WOW Lyle, hammers this one high over the wall, three run shot 5-0 Jays. WOWeeee. McDonald, doubles into left field corner. Now Snider. 0-2 count. Strikes out swinging. What a great start, but folks this is Fenway, anything can and usually does happen here. Pitch count 28. Whoa… not what Lester had dreamed about last night.

Bottom 1st: Cecil now has to shut them down. Scutaro leading off. 2-2 count. Singles into right. One on for Lowrie. Fly ball to Wells, one down. Martinez, fly ball to right centre two on for Ortiz, 2-2 count. Strikes out swinging, two down. Beltre, 2-2 count. Strikes out swinging. 21 pitch count. Good first inning for Cecil.

Top 2nd: Lewis leading off again. 2-0 count. Doubles down the left field line into the corner, stand up double for Fred. Escobar. Showing bunt again, ball one. Full count. singles into left, Lewis to third. Bautista with two on and no outs. Crowd getting a little nervous here. Same again lines it to centre here cones Lewis, 6-0 Jays. One down. Wells with Escobar at first. Boston bullpen already working. Atchison. Wells grounds to Scutaro throw to Lowrie, over to first double play ball. Not good Vernon. First pitch ? come on. When Lester was really struggling, put some pressure on him. Give Escobar chance to steal also to stay out of the double play. Pitch count 41.
Bottom 2nd: Lowell leading off. Grounds to McDonald at third throw to Overbay, one down. Drew, 2-2 count. Pops up to Escobar at short, two down. Hall, 2-0 count. Fly ball to Snider in left. Pitch count 31.

Top 3rd: Buck singles into left, welcome back John, 2-2 tonight. Hill, 3-1 count, Jays really pushing Lester all the say here (apart from Vernon) . Full count. Ball four, Jays laying off the low pitch tonight (apart from Travis at bat). Here comes Overbay with two on and nobody out. Ball one, 2-0, OH MAN, Lyle does it again, into left field seats on the Green Monster, here comes Buck, here comes Hill and here comes tonight’s hero that nobody wants, another 3 run home run and Jays ahead 9-0 Jays. WOW !!!!!!! 6 RBIs for Overbay. Ties a career high. And that is it for Lester, hit the showers guy…..Atchison now pitching. McDonald, nobody out. Grounds back to pitcher, throw to first and tags him out. One down. Snider singles into centre. One on one down for Lewis. 0-2 count. 2-2, singles into centre, two on one down. Escobar, grounds to Beltre, tags Snider for the only out. Two down. Bautista. Pops up to Lowrie behind second.
Bottom 3rd: McDonald leading off. Singles into left. One on for Scutaro, singles into right, two on. Lowrie, Pops it up to Wells in centre, one down. Martinez, 0-2 count, yes indeed ground to Escobar throw to Hill on to Overbay double play ball. 44 Pitch count.

Top 4th: Wells, pops up first pitch to Drew in right, one down. Buck, 2-2 tonight. Off the end of his bat to Beltre at third, throw to first two down. Hill, lines it to center to McDonald for third out.
Bottom 4th: Yankees losing 5-0 to Seattle 4th inning also. AJ Burnett pitching tonight. Looks as if he is having a rough night. Jays fans are sorry for him. Meantime back at Fenway. Ortiz leading off. Cito has the right field shift on, lines it off the wall for a stand up double. One on for Beltre. 2-2 count. strikes out swinging. One down for Lowell, 3-1 count. Pops up to Hill at second. Two down for Drew 0-2 count. strikes out swinging on three pitches. Pitch count 61.

Top 5th: Overbay leading off. 2-2 and what two at bats. Lowell getting a break now. Nava now playing in left. Hall at second, Lowrie at first. Lines it to McDonald in centre. One down for McDonald. Singles into centre his second hit tonight. Snider now with one on and one down. Lines it off leg of Atchison. Two on, one down for Lewis. Coach is out look at Atchison and he is out of the game. Precautionary with a 9-0 game. Now pitching Michael Bowden, Fred a double, single and a walk in three at bats tonight. 2-1 count, grounds to second throw to the bag to get Snider, runners at the corners with two down for Escobar. 2-0 count. Doubles it high off the wall in left, here comes McDonald, here comes Lewis 11-0 Jays. If Escobar had not stopped to admire this one he would have had a triple. He thought it was a home run. How many times have we seen that? Bautista with Escobar at second. 0-2 count. 2-2 lines it to Drew in right for the out but Jays have a couple more.
Bottom 5th: Hall leading off. Pops it up to Wells in centre, one down. McDonald, full count. Ball four. First walk for Cecil tonight, Navarro pinch hitting for Scutaro, singles into left. First major league hit. Two on one down for Lowrie. Singles to left and Boston has the bases loaded for Martinez. 2-0 count. Come on Brett don’t walk him to get to Ortiz. VERY nice grounds to McDonald at third. Steps on the bag and throw to Overbay at first double play ball to get Cecil out of trouble here. Pitch count 75.

Top 6th: Wells leading off, hitless tonight. Dusty Brown now catching. Navarro stays at short for Scutaro. Vernon pops up to right, one down sad to see Vernon struggling so badly. Buck with one down, 1-2 count. Singles into centre, third hit tonight. Hill the only other hitter hitless stays hit less as he pops up to right. Two down for Overbay. Singles up the middle. Two on two down for McDonald. wild pitch, gets away from Brown, and both runners move up. YES Johnny Mc. hammers this over the Monster wall in left, here comes Buck here comes Overbay and here comes the hero. Three run home run WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His third hit of the night, 14-0 Jays. Snider, 2-2 count. strikes out looking. Escobar, Buck, Overbay and Johnny Mc. all with three hits tonight and Johnny Mc. going for cycle next at bat.
Bottom 6th: Ortiz leading off. Pops up to Snider in right. Beltre, 3-0 count. Come on Brett. Ball four. One on one down for Lowell. Nava, 1-2, strikes out swinging. Two down for Kalish pinch hitting for Drew. 1-2 count. Strikes out looking. Very nice pitch Brett. Pitch count 90. Maybe one more.

Top 7th: Lots of empty seats in Fenway now. Lewis leading off for third time tonight, that’s unusual. Delcarmen pitching. Kalish in right for Drew. Lines it hard to left, oh great play, Nava running stretching out his glove and ball sticks in his glove, robbing Fred of a double, reflex play. Escobar full count. Lines it to Kalish in right, two down. Bautista two down, 3-1 count. Oh YES Jose…. lines it high to centre, this one is out of here. 15-0 Jays. Number 38 for Jose. Wise now pinch hitting for Wells, Good move Cito the way Vernon is hitting. 1-2 count, strikes out swinging. Ties highest number of runs for Jays at Fenway.
Bottom 7th: A lot more empty seats… not what this crowd expected tonight. Wise stays in centre for Wells. Hall leading off. Lines first pitch to Snider in left, one down. McDonald, pops it up into shallow right centre, off glove of Hill. Navarro, one down one on. 2-2 count. Ball gets away and McDonald to second. Pops it up to centre for Wise, long out, two down. Lowrie, full count, ball four. Two on, Cecil tiring here. Brown 1-2 count. Doubles it into left field corner, two runs score 15-2 Jays. That’s it for Cecil.112 pitches. More than enough tonight. Jesse Carlson. Ortiz, 2-2 count. Lines it to Snider in left.

Top 8th: Buck leading off. Wakefield now pitching, Buck grounds to Beltre at third off his glove and throw not in time to get Buck, one on. Hill, 0-2 count. Strikes out swinging, one down for Overbay. Wild pitch and Buck to second. Full count. Singles to right, and here comes Buck to score from second, his first four hit game of the season and Lyle has career high seven RBIs. . 16-2 Jays. McDonald, 1-2 count. Strikes out swinging. Two down for Snider. 0-2 count. Lines it hard to centre but right at McDonald.
Bottom 8th: Yankees have lost 6-0 to Seattle. Yeah Mariners. Lots of red seats in Fenway. Carlson still pitching. Beltre leading off. Grounds to Escobar at short, throw to Overbay one down. Nava, 2-2 count. Strikes out swinging, two down. Kalish grounds first pitch to Overbay, flip to Carlson for the out. Nice pitching Jesse.

Top 9th: Can Jays add to this total? Lewis leading off. Wakefield still pitching. Singles up the middle, his third hit tonight. Escobar, 0-2 count. Pops up to Navarro in shallow centre, one down. Bautista, 2-2 count. Grounds hard to third, throw to second on to first double play ball to end this inning.

Bottom 9th: Camp pitching the 9th. Hall leading off. 1-2 count. Lines to Hill makes fine catch, one down for McDonald 3-1 count. Grounds to Escobar, throw to Overbay for second out. Navarro 1-2 count. Strikes out swinging. Jays win big and with Yankees losing pick up a game on both, Rays on west coast have not started yet,

The excellent: Lyle tonight 7 RBIs night. After the season he has had no one begrudges him tonight. Career high. Plus I love the two opposite field home runs. I wish Vernon could learn that.

The very good: Definitely Cecil who stayed within himself facing tough lineup and kept the Red Sox out of this one all night long.
John Buck four hit night first game back of the DL. Johnny Mc. last minute replacement for Encarnacion. Perhaps Cito should give him a couple more games at third. 20 hit attack night tonight with five players three or more hits. That is impressive.

The not so good, the continuing saga of Wells. Looks completely lost at the plate, tries t go the opposite field strikes out or pops up, tries to pull and grounds out.

One major difference tonight in my opinion Jays patience at bat with Lester in that first inning. No crazy swinging. Remember of the nine wins by Red Sox this season four have been by one run and two others by two. Six of the nine have been by two runs or less. These teams are lot closer than the totals wins show. Two more to go this weekend lets see how it unfolds. Jays are certainly entertaining to watch and are making it tough for their colleagues in the eastern division.