Tallet and Jays throw one away as Morrow has nothing

Game two of three Toronto v Oakland. Tuesday August 17, 2010
Tough game tonight for Jays with Braden a lefty pitching. Pus of course he had his no hitter back in May this year. Jays have problems with lefties. Will Morrow be rested enough? Did that marathon one hitter affect him?
In Cito’s musical chairs lineup Snider leading off same as last night and will have Molina at number 9. Not fair to Travis. He is not a leadoff guy. With lefty Braden pitching am surprised Lewis is not leading off tonight. No Arencibia although he may be in the lineup for tomorrow’s afternoon game and then that could be it until September as Buck is slated to return on Friday at the last report if his rehab start goes well. Who will blink tonight? so far Boston has won, Yankees and Tampa both winning so it looks like Jays have to win to stay even tonight. Last night although it was an in the park home run for Bautista, call was changed as the ball hit the foul pole. Same result. Number 37 for Jose.

Lineups: Jays: Snider, Escobar, Bautista, Wells, Lind, Hill, Overbay, Encarnacion, Molina.
Athletics: Crisp, Barton, Jackson, Cust, Ellis, Davis, Powell, Tolleson, Pennington.
Pitching: Dallas Braden v Morrow

Top 1st: Snider leading off, had a rough night last night with Molina on base. Lines first pitch to Crisp in centre, one down. I rest my case re Travis, not his position at all. You need a more patient hitter leading off. Cito will say it is only once in the game, but most leadoffs see a few pitches for their teammates. Escobar, full count, ball four outside. Even Escobar would be a better leadoff. Bautista one down one on, oh wow, Braden throws over to first and throws into right field Escobar all the way to third on the error to Braden. Now Jose can swing away as if he wouldn’t anyway. Grounds to at short here comes the run and Jose out at first on the throw, Jays go out 1-0. Wells, pops up to Powell catching tonight, Powell gets this right at the camera bay, there goes a multi thousand dollar camera. Pitch count 13.
Bottom 1st: Crisp leading off. There goes the no-hitter, lines it to the wall in left centre, Snider cannot get it, Crisp at second base. That was catchable. Barton, exactly the same play, doubles to left centre, here comes Crisp, 1-1 game. Jackson, 0-2 count. strikes out looking, one down. Cust DH tonight, with one in scoring position. Wild pitch and Barton moves up to third. This is not the same Morrow we saw last outing. 3-0 count. Ball four, which at least provides the double play option. Ellis, 0-1, oh boy another wild pitch and here comes Barton, 2-1 Athletics and Cust to second. Another one gets away, Molina having trouble corralling the ball tonight. Lines it to Wells in centre, two down. Davis. 2-2 count. Grounds to Encarnacion throw to Overbay for the out. Pitch count 22. Not the best start tonight.

Top 2nd: Morrow needs some help tonight friends. Get those bats going for him. Lind leading off, gets hold of this one and pulls it hard to right but Davis has it at the wall. One down for Hill. 2-2 count, strikes out swinging, two down for Overbay. 0-2 count. 2-2, full count, grounds to second throw to Barton for third out. No problems for Braden. Pitch count 28.
Bottom 2nd: Will Morrow have settled down now? Powell leading off. 1-2 count, strikes out looking. Tolleson, 0-2 count. Lines it to Bautista in right, two down. Pennington, 0-2 count, singles into left past Escobar. Crisp with one on and two down, full count. ball four outside. Two on for Barton. Runners going and Molina drops the ball. Both safe in scoring position. Nothing going right so far for Jays. 1-1 count. Pops it up to Snider in shallow left and Morrow gets out of this without anymore runs. Pitch count 42, ouch ouch after only two. We will be seeing Tallet out there if this continues. Molina is also looking shaky tonight which is not helping.

Top 3rd: Encarnacion leading off. 3-0 count, which is pretty difficult to do with Encarnacion. Singles into left. One on for Molina, showing bunt, 2-1, pops up to Ellis at second one down for Snider. Going for the fences and misses pitch by a mile. 0-2 count. Strikes out swinging on three pitches. Escobar with two down and one on. 2-0 count. 3-1, ball four, two on two down for Bautista. 0-2 count, 2-2, strikes out swinging over this one. Pitch count 50. Bottom 3rd: Sounds as if Buck is ready, he has had two home runs and six RBIS in his rehab stint for New Hampshire win tonight. I guess his swing is ok. Jackson leading off. 3-1 count, Morrow missing the corners, there’s a strike full count, ball four, third walk already, one on for Cust. Jackson running throw not in time. 2-1 count. Lines it to Wells in centre, one down. Ellis, bunting, foul, high pop up to Snider in shallow left two down. Davis, pops up first pitch to Hill. Much better Brandon. Pitch count 57.

Top 4th: Let’s get some runs here offence. Wells leading off. Pops up forst pitch into shallow left for Pennington, one down for Lind. 2-2, high strike pops it up to Ellis, Lind cannot lay off that pitch, two down for Hill. Full count. Lines it to Jackson in shallow left to end this one. Jays go meekly here. It is all Braden tonight so far. Pitch count 62.
Bottom 4th: Morrow getting no help from his hitters tonight, he will have to tough it out. Powell leading off. Full count. Grounds to Overbay for the out, but a load of pitches to get him. Tolleson, one down. 3-0 count. Singles into left. One on one down for Pennington. Need a ground ball here badly. Tallet working in bullpen. 1-2 count. Lines it to Wells in centre, two down. Crisp, with one on and two down. 3-1 count, this might be the last one for Morrow. Pops up to Encarnacion and Morrow might just have been reprieved for another inning. Pitch count 80.

Top 5th: Can Jays get back into this? They look totally lost against Braden. Overbay leading off. Grounds to Barton at first takes it himself for the first out. Encarnacion, 2-2, Braden just throwing them in now, working very quickly, full count, pops up to Barton two down. Molina, grounds first pitch to short throw to Barton three up and down very, very quickly. Jays looks as if they have thrown in the towel tonight. Pitch count 74.
Bottom 5th: That’s it for Morrow, just didn’t have anything tonight struggled from the start. Tallet now pitching. Barton leading off. 0-2 and strikes out looking on three pitches. One down for Jackson. 3-1 count. Ball four, Tallet’s signature walk. Cust, one on one down. another 3-1 count, full count, strikes out swinging, two down. Ellis, lines it to Snider in left.

Top 6th: Snider leading off. Hitless tonight and has not looked confident against Braden, not that any of this lineup has tonight. Gets hold of this one hammers it to right centre but Davis has it at the wall. Deep part of the ballpark Travis. Escobar.0-2 count. Strike three looking. Bautista, 0-2 count, 2-2, full count, strikes out swinging. Pitch count 85. Braden just in a groove and Jays are not breaking up that flow.
Bottom 6th: Davis leading off. Grounds it to Encarnacion at third, one down. Powell. Grounds first pitch to Encarnacion throw to Overbay two down, three pitches. Tolleson, 0-2 count, 2-2, lines it back at Tallet off his glove into shallow centre. One on two down for Pennington. Pops up to Overbay for third out. Good inning for Tallet.

Top 7th: Kouzmanoff at third. Wells, not hitting very well right now and hitless tonight. Pops up to Crisp in centre, one down for Lind.0-2 count. 2-2 lines it to Barton shoestring catch. Two down for Hill. That’s better Aaron lines it off the wall in left, stand up double. First hit since the first inning. Overbay now with runner at second. There we go, Lyle doubles into the left field corner and here comes Aaron to tie this one up. 2-2. Go ahead run at second for Encarnacion. Breslow warming up in bullpen. Full count. Lyle will be running. Pops up to Barton at first to end this one but Jays have finally got to Braden and tied this one up. Pitch count 104 for Braden.
Bottom 7th: Crisp leading off. Singles to Snider in left. Barton, Camp now warming up in Jays bullpen. I was surprised he did not start this inning. Singles to Bautista in right, Crisp not going. Here comes Cito may also be regretting he started Tallet this inning. I hope he is, but then again he is Tallet’s biggest supporter, maybe the only one in Toronto at least. Camp now inherits Tallet’s mess with two on and nobody out. Crisp stealing on first pitch and safe on the throw to third. Jackson, with two on and nobody out. 1-2 count strikes out swinging. Now the double play possibility. But watch for to steal here. Cust, 2-2 count. grounds to Hill tags runner and throw to first off the glove of Overbay. Crisp scores 3-2 Oakland two down Cust at second. Ellis singles into right, here comes Cust 4-2 Oakland. Davis singles to left Snider fumbles the ball and here comes Ellis 5-2 Oakland. Error on the play. Davis at second. Powell, Jesse Carlson warming up. Is back in town to replace injured Purcey. Pops up to Snider in left. Hill’s throw was expensive but Tallet was the start of this rot again. I don’t see him in Jays organization next spring.

Top 8th: Are the Jays going to fold their tent tonight and slink away? or are they going to fight this one. Breslow now pitching another lefty so don’t get your hopes up here. Molina leading off. 2-2 count. Strikes out swinging. Snider and you know Travis is aching to make up for that error. Full count. Pops it up to Jackson in left, two down for Escobar. Lines it right back at Breslow, off his pitching arm, safe at first on the throw. Here comes the manager and coach and that is it for Breslow. Michael Wuertz now pitching, he may only need one pitch to end the inning 5/5 save opportunities.But at least no more lefties tonight. Bautista with one on and two down. Great time to hit one out Jose. 0-2 count. Ball gets away and Escobar to second. 2-2, full count as Jose lays off that one in the dirt. Lines it foul into left. Strikes out swinging.
Bottom 8th: Jesse Carlson now pitching. Kouzmanoff leading off. Doubles to the wall in right centre. Oakland finding all the gaps tonight. Pennington bunting up third base line, throw to first for the out but Kouzmanoff to third. Crisp, singles into left, 6-2 Oakland. Crisp 3-4 tonight. Another wild pitch, Jays certainly throwing it away tonight. Barton grounds to Hill throw to Overbay two down runner to third on the play. Jackson, intentional walk to get to Cust for lefty lefty matchup. Hits him on the hand to load them up. Oh percentages eh Cito? Ellis, with bases loaded. Lines it over head of Carlson to Hill flip to Escobar to get Cust for third out.

Top 9th: Jays need four. Wells leading off. Hitless tonight. In fact Wells, Lind and Hill have the grand total of one hit between them tonight. Will not win many games hitting like that. Wuertz stays in here and why not. Fly ball to Jackson at the wall in left. One pitch one down. Lind, 0-2 count. Strikes out swinging. Hill the last guy very apt as it was his throw that started the rot here. Grounds feebly back to Wuertz throw to Barton for the out. Jays literally throw this one away. Jays lose this one 6-2. There is a big difference between losing game and giving one away which is what the Jays did tonight.

Problem is compounded by the fact that all the teams above them win tonight.
Nothing good about this one tonight. Jays had no hitting, no fielding, poor catching, and Morrow was flat,Tallet was Tallet and Carlson was almost as bad.
Braden pitched well but Jays had this one tied up going into the 8th before they pitch and throw it away A game to forget and quickly as they are out again in the day tomorrow.
The only good news tonight was that Buck’s rehab went to so well and that he should rejoin the team on Friday.They need him because Molina is looking awfully tired old man tonight.