Jays v Twins. Final game of the series.
Jays want to sweep Twins today and also get back to .500 going in to Detroit. Morrow pitching.
Line-ups: Jays: Escobar, Patterson, Bautista, Encarnacion at 1B (Cooper still on the bench and may see limited action in Detroit if Lind returns), Hill, Rivera, Davis, McDonald, Molina and Morrow pitching.
Twins: Span, Plouffe, Kubel, Morneau, Young ,Cuddyer, Valencia, Butera, Casila and Duensing pitching.
Great crowd and also good weather as oppose to all that rain and cold yesterday.
Jays gets a great start with Escobar and Patterson on base for Bautista in the first inning but what is ironic in light of the rest of the game is that Bautista pops up to third, one of the few times today Twins pitcher gets him out. As Span, Plouffe, Kubel went very quickly, Morrow and the Jays were off and running.
Jays scored in the first four innings, 2,1, 4, and1 and were leading 8-0 before twins final get on the board, by then this game was over. Jays were to add three more in the sixth to put this one way out of reach given the quality of Jays bullpen.
Jo Jo Reyes made the comment last night that “they could throw the kitchen sink at Bautista and he would still hit it out”. Prophetic as Jose hits his three home runs for the first time in his career evidently. But what I think is the most interesting development for Jose, is that he is hitting them in all directions now. Up until yesterday his first 12 of the season (as well as majority in 2010) were all to left. Then yesterday he hit one to right, today left centre, left field corner and the third one to right centre. JoJo is right, and the only way opposing pitchers will stop right now is to walk him. It should be an interesting week as Jays go to Detroit and Tampa before returning home for the two game series with Houston.
The other good news I think is the gradual warming up of Hill. The last few games he has been hitting well. Today another two hits but his important one was the two out double to left to score the first two runs.
What I really liked today was the Jays hitters with runners in scoring position 4-9. Yes they left eleven on base and the top four left nine of those.
Morrow gets the win and deserved it, despite high pitch count and getting into trouble.
Jays 13 hit attack with only Encarnacion and Rivera without a hit today and also both leaving two runners on base. As Edwin was hitting behind Bautista it was even more exceptional to see Jose getting those hits. Duensing was out of the game after only three innings and Slowey took the game the rest of the way, saving his bullpen in the process.
Today the hits were spread throughout the order and even Molina at number nine having a three hit game. The RBIs were split between six players with Jose getting four from his three home runs.
Interesting that Escobar and Patterson with the only two walks today. Good to see more patient at bats from them both. Of course it is to their own advantage to get on base for Jose hitting behind them.
Jays pitching excellent today, the bullpen of Camp, Villanueva and Dotel shut the Twins down after Morrow went five.
The downside today: Encarnacion ? playing at 1B, who knows why and worse still behind Bautista in the line-up. But going hitless once again. The good news is that Lind should be playing in Detroit. Dotel in the ninth managed to load the bases before getting the third out. Not quite what Manager Farrell had in mind (I hope) with an eight run lead. A grand slam at that stage would not have been well received. On the other hand Farrell may have though Dotel could use up the inning and he could save his better pitchers for the tough week ahead.
Jays move to .500 on the season with a five game win streak. Tonight Boston playing in New York to try to get themselves to .500 and also sweep Yankees in New York. Tough assignment. Meantime Baltimore has taken their second from Tampa. Perhaps the Rays in a swoon in time for Jays visit on Wednesday. Orioles continue to surprise everyone. Overall the division is tightening which is good.
Target Field is one beautiful stadium. We can only envy in Jays land.
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