Jays erupt for six with home run power and win with fine pitching

Jays v Rangers in Texas. Game one of four.

A rough road trip ahead for the Jays and one that could have huge impact on their season if they go 3-7 for example they will be seven under .500 and a huge hole to climb out of in unforgiving division. Texas, Yankees and Tampa for ten on the road is not easy trip. Add in the Jays hitting slump and the injuries to Davis, Hill, Encarnacion and Nix and it does not look good this week. On the other hand they could go on a much needed tear. Hang on for a crazy ride.

Line-ups: Jays: Escobar back in leadoff which I personally prefer him to be, Patterson is not a leadoff, is much too impatient at bat, and does not take pitches gladly. Patterson hitting second, Bautista, Lind and that is basically the hitters right now. Not much pop elsewhere. Rivera almost there, tantalisingly so in my book at least, showed signs in Toronto of coming out of that awful slump and his batting average is slowly climbing. Perhaps Arlington will be his stage. Molina always a threat to hit, Snider having an awful stretch as well, McDonald, Chris Woodward starting tonight his first this season, and Drabek pitching. Jays really need a great outing from him tonight. Encarnacion evidently ok for pinch hitting if needed. Davis rehabbing may be back soon. Could be activated tomorrow if all goes well tonight. None too early.

Texas line-up: Kinsler, Andrus, Young, Beltre, Cruz, Murphy,Torrealba, Moreland, Borbon and Colby Lewis pitching. Jays catch a small break with neither Hamilton nor Napoli playing tonight. Both with injuries.

Top 1st: Escobar leading off. Strikes out swinging, Patterson, that’s why he is not a leadoff, first pitch pop up to short, two down for Bautista. Showing bunt, sense of humour? Full count. Grounds to short, long throw to Moreland just gets Jose at first.
Bottom 1st: Kinsler, 3-1 count, ball four, one on for Andrus, another 3-1 count, singles to left, two on for Young. There we go Kyle, grounds to Escobar, flip to Johnny Mac at second over to Lind, double play. Two down for Beltre with Kinsler at 3B. 2-2 count, full count, perfect, grounds to McDonald to Lind to give Drabek a break here but high pitch count already at 22. Needs to settle down. Yankees losing 1-0 to Chicago Burnett is pitching tonight, let’s go White Sox.

Top 2nd: Lind, singles into right, Rivera. Lines it very hard but right at short, if only Rivera could get some of these bullets in the air, throw to second over to first for double play. Molina, full count, Lewis thought that was strike three, grounds to short, throw to first. 23 pitch count.
Bottom 2nd: Cruz, full count, strikes out swinging but took seven pitches. Murphy, strikes out, two down for Torrealba, grounds to Escobar, throw to Lind. 38 pitches and this is the problem with Jays rotation, too many pitches early and not going deep into the game. No Halladay with his complete games or 7-8 innings. Puts huge pressure on the bullpen. On the other hand I guess they will not have high innings counts by August and be pulled for the last month.

Top 3rd: Snider, strike three looking, fooled Travis on that one. Johnny Mac. Lines this one to the wall in right centre, triple for Johnny Mac. Now Woodward with one down. This is where Jays have failed all season long. 2-2 count, strikes out swinging at ball way outside. Not a good at bat. Two down for Escobar, not swinging at those outside. 3-1 count. Grounds to third throw to first for the out. Jays continue to struggle with runners in scoring position. 43 pitches.
Bottom 3rd: Moreland, grounds to McDonald at second, throw to Lind. Borbon, 2-2 count, same play, two down. Kinsler, fly ball to Patterson, pitch count 51.

Top 4th: Patterson, 2-2 count, full count, singles to right, no chance to get this speed by Patterson. Bautista finally with a guy on base and with speed someone to distract Lewis here. 3-1 count, pitching Jose outside, has to come to him now though or get two on base. Ball four down, not giving Jose a chance to make it 2-0. Lind now. Lines it to left, but Murphy makes great catch at the wall. One down. Rivera, double steal on, Patterson out at 3B, two down. 3-0 count to Rivera. Takes one, 3-1, full count. Ball four, man Rivera has strong nerves cold veins, two on two down. Molina, grounds up the middle throw to first to get Molina. Was the double steal the right call? 65 pitch count.
Bottom 4th: Have to feel sorry for Drabek, not getting much help from his hitters. Andrus, lines it hard to Patterson in centre, one down. Young, grounds to Woodward, throw to Lind for second out. Beltre, grounds towards first, Drabek off the mound quickly takes it himself for the out. Nine pitch inning. Much better for Kyle. 60 pitch count.

Top 5th: Snider leading off. 3-1 count, full, ball four. McDonald, too bad it was not last at bat with that triple. Fly ball first pitch to centre, one down, Woodward high fly ball to Murphy in left. Escobar that’s better, singles up the middle. Two on two down for Patterson. 0-2 count, WHOA !!! hammers this one, it was high ball, way high, and Patterson not only goes after it but connects and this one is way out in centre right, three run home run, 3-0 Jays. Bautista now. Yes siree Jose, first pitch turns on this one this one is into left field seats back to back home runs, number 8 for Jose. 4-0 Jays. Lind, walks. Rivera this one is out of here into right corner seats another hone run, 6-0 Jays. Molina, grounds to short. Throw to first but Jays erupt with 6 with two out. Very nice. 95 pitch count.
Bottom 5th: Cruz now, ball four, come on Kyle don’t let this team get back in this one. Murphy, perfect grounds to McDonald to Escobar to Lind, double play. Two down for Torrealba no doubt about this one, right down the middle pulls this into left field corner seats, 6-1 Jays. Moreland, 2-2 count, ball three. Grounds right back to Drabek throw to first. 80 pitches. He might get in to the seventh.

Top 6th: That’s it for Lewis. Ex-Jay Dave Bush now pitching. Snider leading off. White Sox leading 2-0 over Yankees in the 9th. Travis hard liner to the right corner. Johnny Mac. No, grounds to Beltre at 3B, throw to second on to first double play. Woodward can he keep this alive now? Lines to right centre for third out. Not doing too much to keep your spot in line-up Chris.
Bottom 6th: Borbon, singles to left. Kinsler, 0-2 count, lines it into right field corner here comes Borbon. 6-2 game. Kinsler at second. Andrus, grounds to second, they have Kinsler hung out. Tag him out but Andrus gets to second on the play. Young with one down. Doubles off the wall in right, here comes Andrus, 6-3 game. Jays bullpen working, Rzepczynski. Beltre, 3-1 count, Drabek not as sharp here, full count, that’s ok grounds to McDonald throw to Lind two down. Young to 3B. Cruz, 2-0 count. 100 pitches. That’s ok, grounds to Escobar throw to Lind for third out. That will be it for Drabek also. Just could not shut the door after that six run inning.

Top 7th: Escobar leading off. Jays would love to get at least one back here. An excuse me single here, off the end of his bat up the line and ball dies, this grass is THICK !. Escobar at first, Patterson now, they will not be pitching high to this guy. Lines it to left, to Murphy in the corner, throws it back in and relay gets Escobar diving back in to first, double play, he was way past second. Much too aggressive there Yunel. Bautista now. 3-0 count, ball four, second walk to night. Lind now his turn to go deep? 2-0 count, 3-1 count, pops it up to Murphy in left centre. Another inning where base running error costs Jays. Yankees lose 2-0.
Bottom 7th: Rzepczynski to try and hold Texas hitters. Murphy, grounds to McDonald, throw to Lind. Torrealba, singles back up the middle. Moreland grounds back to Rzepczynski, nice play, throws to second, back to Lind not in time, two down. Moreland at first. Napoli pinch hitting. That’s it for Marc. Frasor now pitching. 2-2 count. Full count, perfect, grounds to Johnny Mac throw to Lind to end this one without more damage.

Top 8th: Bush still out there. Rivera leading off, he must be feeling a lot happier. .151 average but a lot better than .098. Lines it back to pitcher, reflex catch by Bush, just put his glove out. One down. Molina, would love him to connect here. Pops up to Murphy now playing centre. Two down. Snider, come on Travis. Very nice, hammers this one into right but just foul of the pole, but that felt good. 2-2 count, grounds to Napoli now playing at first and Travis just out at first.
Bottom 8th: Getting down to the wire here. Kinsler lines first pitch to Bautista in right, One down for Andrus, same again, two down. Young, doubles to the wall, I think Patterson had a shot at that one. Beltre, 0-2 count, 2-2, fly ball to Patterson in centre. Eight pitch at bat by Beltre.

Top 9th: Bottom of Jays order. Johnny Mac leading off. Pedro Strop now pitching. Grounds up the middle to second throw to first one down. Woodward hitless tonight. Strikes out, totally clueless in that at bat. Swung at ball two and let strike two go. Must be hard to adjust from AAA Vegas. Escobar now last chance just misses the foul pole in right. Grounds to Beltre, throw to first for final out.
Bottom 9th: Can Jon Rauch hold them here? Cruz, oh dear, line drive here to right just over the wall, 6-4 Jays. Murphy, 3-1 count. Come on Rauch. Count full, bounces one to MacDonald throw to Lind, one down for Torrealba. 2-2 count, strikes out, two down for Moreland, 2-2 count, pops it up to Bautista and Jays win big tonight. 6-4.

This one is really big win for Jays as Texas was 10-2 at home and leading the west.


The very good: Patterson three run home run, Bautista number 8 home run, Rivera his first of the season and what a huge hit that is. Triple by Johnny Mac. But last but not least Jays pitching tonight. Drabek settled from shaky start to get his win. Rzepczynski, Frasor and Rauch bullpen finish this one off. Jays six runs all with two outs and in fact Patterson had two strikes on him before that home run blast.

The not so good: Over aggressive base running by Escobar in the 7th and maybe the double steal earlier. But I think we can forgive them with this huge win.
Great start to the road trip. Can Jesse Litsch continue tomorrow?