Jays power wins this one behind Reyes pitching.

Jays v Phillies at Bright House, a sea of green today for St. Patrick’s Day. Strong line-ups on both teams today. 10,816 attendance, always a sell-out at Bright House.

Jays: Davis, Escobar, Bautista, Lind, Rivera, Snider, Encarnacion, Arencibia and Johnny Mc. Could be a starting line-up for the Jays if Hill is not fit, but he is supposed to be ready this week. Jo Reyes starting, still a rotation opportunity with Litsch not pitching well.
Phillies: Rollins, Victorino, Ibanez, Howard, Francisco, Ruiz, Barfield, Martinez and Cliff Lee hitting nine.

Top 1st: Davis leading off, strikes out, Escobar strikes out, two down for Bautista, fly ball to left, three up and down for Lee.
Bottom 1st: Rollins singles to Snider in left, Victorino, here we go this one is out of here in left field home, run to Victorino and Phillies are 2-0 with nobody out. Ibanez, that’s better, strikes out swinging. Howard, pops up to Johnny Mc. Two down for Ben Francisco, don’t make a mistake with this guy Jo. Not this time, fly ball to Snider for the third out.

Top 2nd: Lind leading off singles back up the middle. Rivera, oh boy, one of those days, grounds to Rollins, to Martinez at second on to Howard; call it two, double play ball. Rivera has not impressed much this last week. Snider, strikes out swinging on three pitches, Lee having no problem with Jays hitters so far today. 12 pitches, 12 strikes, six outs.
Bottom 2nd: Ruiz leading off, grounds to Bautista at third, throw to first for the out, Barfield, doubles to Snider in left, Martinez grounds to Escobar at short, throw to Encarnacion for the second out, Barfield has to hold at second. Lee singles to Escobar, Barfield moves to third, two on two down for Rollins, grounds to Escobar on to Johnny Mc. at second to get Lee to end the inning.

Top 3rd: Encarnacion grounds to Barfield at third throw to Howard for the out. Arencibia pops up to Howard at first, Johnny Mc. pops up to Rollins drops in for a double. Davis with runner in scoring position. Walks on four balls, Escobar with two on and two down, wild pitch and both runners move up, Lee rattled here. Grounds to Barfield at third throw to first to end this rally by Jays.
Bottom 3rd: Victorino fly ball to Rivera in right, one down, Ibanez grounds to Johnny Mc, throw to first for second out. Howard strikes out swinging on three pitches. Much better inning for Reyes.

Top 4th: Bautista leading off. Grounds to Barfield, oh dear Josh throws it away and Jose motors on to second. Now three shots at bringing him in. Lind, Rivera and Snider. Lind first crack, that’s the way Adam, doubles to the wall in right, here comes Jose and Jays are on the board 2-1, more importantly they bring a guy in from second. Lind now 2-2 today. Now Rivera’s turn to return the favour for Adam, OH BOY, finally Rivera gets hold of this one and this way out of here, into the beer crowd in left, HOME run.... and Jays go out ahead 3-2 just like that, still nobody out. Rivera’s first home run of the spring. Snider strikes out. One down. Encarnacion he gets hold of it another home run into the St. Patrick’s Day beer drinkers in left. Lee has totally fallen apart here, 4-2 Jays. POWER. Arencibia, he singles into centre, Johnny Mc. This might be Lee’s last inning if he cannot get McDonald out. Six hits to the Jays already. Johnny Mc. doubles to left and the beat goes on, Arencibia at third. Davis now with only one down, yes Rajai, fly ball this should do it here comes JP and Jays have scored five. 5-2 Jays. Escobar, can he continue the line? No grounds to third and throw to first to end Lee’s nightmare but Jays score big and five runs this inning to take the lead in big way.
Bottom 4th: Francisco fly ball to Rivera in right, one down. Ruiz strikes out swinging, Barfield now wants to make up for that error. Not this time, fly ball to Davis in centre, and Phillies go one two three in order.

Top 5th: Lee’s day is done, not one to remember four innings, seven hits and three runs including two home runs. Bastardo facing Bautista leading off, oh Jose does not like that, takes third strike. Lind 2-2 already not this time as he grounds to second for the out at first. Rivera now, has he discovered his stroke finally? Well that will do, singles to right. Snider hitless in two, walks on four pitches. Two on two down for Encarnacion. No, no, Juan, caught stealing third to end the inning. Great throw by Ruiz to Barfield. BUT a real no no. The heat getting to him. That was definitely not good.
Bottom 5th: Reyes still out there. Martinez leading off, there she goes into left field fans, home run and Phillies get one back. 5-3 Jays. Valdez, fly ball to Davis, one down. Rollins fly ball to Snider in left, two down. Victorino pops up to Johnny Mc. at second to end this inning.

Top 6th: Encarnacion leading off, Kyle Kendrick now pitching for the Phillies. Fly ball to Valdez in centre, one down. Arencibia fly ball to Ibanez in left, two down. McDonald, 2-2, both doubles, singles to Galvis at short and beats out throw, 3-3 on the day. Davis pops up to Barfield at third to end the inning.
Bottom 6th: Jon Rauch in for Reyes who had a great outing apart from the first couple of hitters at beginning of the game. He settled in nicely against a strong hitting team. Cory Paterson now in for Rajai Davis in centre. Ibanez leading off. Takes third strike, one down. Howard grounds to McDonald at second, throw to first, two down. Francisco grounds to Bautista at third, throw to first for third out. Phillies go in order for Rauch who maintains that scoreless ERA.

Top 7th: Escobar leading off. Singles to right, his first hit of the day. McCoy pinch running, Bautista grounds to Barfield on to Martinez on to first call it two another double play. No chance for McCoy to steal. Lind singles to left, ouch, that makes that double play even worse, Adam three hit day, Thames is out to pinch run for him. Rivera 2-3 and chance to amend his base running error. There he goes singles to centre and here comes Thames to score and make it 6-3. Tolisano now pinch running for Rivera, Snider singles to right, Tolisano to third. Loewen pinch running for Snider. Two on two down for Encarnacion, fly ball to centre for the out. Jays have 13 hits today.
Bottom 7th: Jason Lane in at first for Encarnacion. Purcey now pitching for Jays. Ruiz walks on four pitches, not a good start David. Tuffy Gosewisch there`s a baseball name for you, now pinch running for Ruiz. Barfield, strikes out swinging, one down. Martinez singles to centre, two on one down for Valdez, fly ball to Patterson in centre, two down. Galvis, strikes out swinging on three pitches.

Top 8th: Ryan Budde now catching for Arencibia leading off. Grounds to Orr playing third, throw to Mayberry at first for the out. Johnny Mc. grounds to Garvis but error on throw to first and McDonald safe. Anthony Gose now pinch running. This should be interesting, Patterson singles to right and Gose to third easily. Two on one down for Mike McCoy, will he be bunting. Yes he does. Bunt singles to Mayberry and safe at first, Gose scores, Patterson at second. The only problem with Mike doing this is that he is doing it so often that scouts will be noting. Lawrie grounds to second, McCoy out at second Lawrie safe at first. Patterson to third. Two down. Thames strikes out on three. Nice inning. 7-3 Jays.
Bottom 8th: Purcey still out there, Kratz leading off, home run to left, 7-4 Jays. Young, strikes out swinging, one down. Mayberry walks on four pitches, getting to be a habit that could buy him a Vegas bus ticket. Sullivan, grounds to Lane two down, Mayberry to second. Gosewisch to Patterson for third out.

Top 9th: Zagurskie pitching. Tolisano strikes out, Loewen strikes out on three pitches, two down for Jason Lane, first time I have seen him this spring, but one of my favourites. There you go Jason, didn`t let me down, doubles to centre field. Now someone bring him in to make my day. Budde, with two down, strikes out swinging on all three pitches.
Bottom 9th: Mike Hinckley now pitching. Orr leading off. Strikes out swinging, one down for Martinez, fly ball to Patterson in centre, two down. Valdez singles into left behind short, one on two down. Galvis oh boy, déjà vu, there it goes another home run and Phillies score two to make this 7-6 Jays, exactly what Hinckley did last week in Port Charlotte. Kratz already with a home run last inning. Grounds to Lawrie throw to Lane at first and this one is over, just..... Hinckley playing with fire there and getting reputation for blowing games for the Jays. He might want to think about that and Manager Farrrell may want to bring him in earlier if he keeps doing this.

The good: HRs from Rivera, his first, and Encarnacion his 4th. McDonald 3-4 and on base four times. Three hit days for Lind, Rivera and Johnny Mc. Good outing by Jo Reyes to strengthen his hold on the rotation spot, and another hitless inning by Rauch.

The not so good: Rivera grounding into double play in the second. Reyes giving up quick two runs in bottom of the first with nobody out. Rivera getting thrown out at third base in the fifth with two on and Encarnacion at the plate. RISP 4-10. Purcey and his walks, Hinckley and his playing with fire in the 9th inning.