Jays v Yankees Game one of three.
Jays go into New York after a horrible weekend. Losing series to Astros the team with very worst record in the majors let alone their division. Lousy hitting, poor pitching was more than enough to give the Astros two of three. Far too much dependence by the other players on THE man. Farrell has shaken up the order big-time tonight.
Encarnacion at 3B tonight !!! can you believe it ???? What on earth is Farrell thinking of? That is ridiculous. The guy unable to play defence let alone at third which is the hot corner and worse still he is unable to throw. I fail to understand what they see in him. Cito always reckoned he had power but was a streaky hitter. Hmmm some streak when he has yet to hit a home run this year. Johnny Mac has more. And is also far, far better 3B guy if you don’t want to play Nix. I feel sorry for the pitcher and Jays defence tonight. The other eight Jays are carrying this guy. Perhaps Farrell knew he could not play him in Toronto without being run out of town and the only way he can get him in the line-up is on the road. It had better not backfire, or Farrell will find his popularity and honeymoon with the fans fast turning sour. But Davis leadoff in attempt to get him on base and put pressure on pitchers, I can go with that. If Escobar is the only guy who can give Bautista some support, good luck Jays.
Line-ups: Jays: Davis, Patterson, Bautista, Escobar, Rivera, Hill, Thames, Arencibia, Encarnacion and Villanueva pitching.
Yankees: Jeter, Granderson, Teixeira, Rodriguez, Cano, Martin, Posada, Gardner, Dickerson and Colon pitching.
Top 1st: Davis, grounds to Cano at second, throw to Teixeira beats him at first, one down for Patterson. Strikes out swinging on three pitches. Bautista, two down. WOW. JOSE de Man, this one is out of here over left centre fence into the Jays bullpen. 1-0 Jays. Escobar, singles into right. Rivera, singles into left, Escobar into second, two down two on for Hill. Where was all this at the weekend??? 2-2 count, full count, lines it to Granderson for third out. 23 pitch inning. Looks good to me.
Bottom 1st: Villanueva, no idea what we can expect tonight, very different starting from relieving. He will be on pitch count and hoping for five innings from him but who knows; Yankees are traditionally patient hitters and will push that pitch count up. Jeter, full count, strikes out swinging, one down for Granderson, Jose has set the bar for him. Needs three to catch Jose now. Gets him strikes out swinging, two down for Teixeira. Strikes out throw to first. Villanueva strikes out the side. 15 pitches.
Top 2nd: Thames leading off. High fly ball to Gardner in left centre. One down for Arencibia, strikes out looking. Two down for Encarnacion, he will probably hit a home run now. Strikes out swinging. Ah well at least it was not a double play ball. 35 pitches.
Bottom 2nd: A-Rod leading off, first pitch high pop up to Davis in centre, one down for Cano, grounds second pitch to Rivera, throw to Villanueva for second out. Martin, full count, pops up to Martin in shallow left. 24 pitches.
Top 3rd: Top of the order again, Davis. Bounces up the middle beats Jeter’s throw to first, speed kills, now, some fun with Colon. Patterson. Lots of throws over here. Waste his energy. 2-2 count, pops up to Martin. Bautista with one on and one down. May be the reason that Davis stayed at first, they didn’t want to leave first base open. 2-2 count, there goes Davis, Martin throw gets him at second, two down. Full count, ball four, one on two down for Escobar. Grounds to Jeter at second throw gets Bautista at second. Pitch count 49. The sooner they get into the bullpen the better.
Bottom 3rd: Posada DH tonight, full count, grounds to Rivera at first, throw to Villanueva one down for Gardner. Full count, doubles to Davis in right centre, Dickerson with runner in scoring position. Pops up to Encarnacion to make the catch, two down. Jeter, lines it to Hill at second, nice catch to end this one. 43 pitch count for Villanueva.
Top 4th: A very poor crowd here tonight even half an hour into the game. Rivera lines first pitch hard at Jeter, one down for Hill. Strikes out swinging, two down for Thames, has to lay off that first pitch. 0-2 count. Takes strike three, Eric still learning. Pitch count 60 for Colon.
Bottom 4th: The tough call will be who follows after Villanueva without burning out the bullpen. Every inning Carlos can go will help big-time tonight. Granderson leading off, ball four, leadoff walk, Teixeira, grounds past diving Hill into right centre, Granderson all the way to third, A-Rod now with two on. Full count, strikes out swinging, one down. Cano, fly ball to Davis in centre, here comes Granderson 1-1 game, two down for Martin. Pops up to Rivera at first, Villanueva escapes trouble with two on and nobody out. Pitch count getting up though at 54.
Top 5th: Villanueva could do with some help from his hitters. Arencibia, strikes out looking. Encarnacion, full count, strikes out swinging, two down. Davis, pops up second pitch to Martin. Jays go far too quietly.
Bottom 5th: This is getting into new territory for Villanueva now this season, every new pitch will be a plus, but who will relieve him? Posada, 0-2 count, fly ball to Patterson in left, one down. Gardner, grounds to third, Encarnacion lets this one through, oh boy error to Encarnacion, Dickerson, 1-2 count, strikes out but Gardner stealing and safe on throw. Two down. Jeter, with runner at second. Edwin is praying hard here. WHOAAAA lines it hard to left Patterson makes the catch right up against the wall in left. Huge play and also saves Encarnacion.
Top 6th: Patterson to lead off after that catch. Full count, doubles to the wall in right. Bautista now but with base open, will they pitch to him? Not even trying, Colon chicken.... intentional walk four pitches. Respect at least now make him pay Yunel. Bunting great bunt, both runners move up. One down two in scoring position for Rivera. Major conference here by Girardi and infield, 84 pitch count, another intentional walk to load the bases. OK Aaron you are long overdue. Your big chance here. That will do Aaron pulls it into left, here comes Patterson for the run, 2-1 Jays,. And bases still loaded. Thames, just a base hit Eric, 2-0 count, 3-0, interesting, taking or swinging? Takes ball four, here comes Bautista, you shouldn’t walk him guys. 3-1 Jays, Bases still loaded. Pendleton warming up in bullpen. Arencibia, OH BOY, doubles to the centre wall, here comes everyone, three more, 6-1 Jays. Encarnacion, takes strike three, his third strikeout of the game, not a night to remember for Edwin. Davis with two down. Grounds off the end of his bat, Colon tags him for third out, but Jays make Yankees pay for those two intentional walks.
Bottom 6th: That’s it for Villanueva 75 pitches. Now Jays bullpen need to help Villanueva out here. Frasor now pitching. Guess who is in at third? Johnny Mac in for Edwin, may have been his last game for Jays, Granderson, walks, Teixeira pops it up long run for Patterson to make nice catch. One down. A-Rod, singles back up the middle, Granderson to third. One down two on for Cano. Frasor not exactly sharp here. 3-1 count, oh no. Grounds to Escobar drops the ball Hill reaches for it with foot on the bag, but umpire says no way, replay says yes as Granderson scores. That was double play ball. Error to Escobar, 6-2 game. Martin, pops up to Patterson in left two down for Posada, grounds to Hill, throw to Rivera for third out, Frasor escapes more trouble.
Top 7th: Patterson leading off, can they repeat last inning? Hector Noesi new pitcher for Yankees. Patterson fly ball to Granderson, one down for Bautista, will they pitch to him? Yes, 1-2 count, gets under it high pop up to Cano. Two down for Escobar, lines to Granderson in centre to make sliding catch. Jays go quietly.
Bottom 7th: Jon Rauch pitching. Gardner leading off. 2-2 count, strikes out swinging, one down for Dickerson, strikes out swinging, two down for Jeter, grounds first pitch hard to Escobar, throw to Rivera for third out. Nice inning by Rauch.
Top 8th: It would be good to get a couple more here. Rivera, loops it into left centre for Granderson. Hill, had a nice at bat last time up. Perfect Aaron lines it into left corner and bounces into the crowd, ground rule double. Thames, one on one down. Grounds to Cano throw to Teixeira first to get him, Hill moves to third. Arencibia, 2-2 count, that’s the way JP, singles into left and here comes Hill, 7-2 Jays. Arencibia now with four RBI night. Johnny Mac first at bat after replacing Encarnacion. Pops up to Cano for third out.
Bottom 8th: Granderson, Rauch out again for second inning, full count. Ball four, come on Jon. Teixeira, there goes Granderson safe on the throw at second, could have taken third but did not see it. Full count strikes out swinging, one down, one on for A-Rod. Dotel and Perez are ready in Jays bullpen. Grounds to Escobar long throw to first, not in time. Two on for Cano. That’s it for Rauch, Luis Perez now pitching. Singles to Bautista in right, here comes Granderson, 7-3 Jays. Martin, two on one down. Pops up to Rivera two down. Posada, grounds to McDonald makes no mistake here and steps on the bag for third out. Perez did his job.
Top 9th: Noesi still pitching, Davis, first pitch pop up not a good at bat Rajai. Patterson, another first pitch out grounding to Cano throw to first, two down for Bautista, 2-0 not giving him much here. 2-2 count, pops up high to Martin.
Bottom 9th: Francisco now pitching, has not been pitching very well recently. Gardner leading off. Singles to left, one on for Dickerson. Gardner takes second without a throw. Bounces to Hill, throw to Rivera one down, Gardner to third. Jeter, strikes out swinging, two down. Granderson 3-1 count, full count, just misses one there outside the right field foul pole. Gets him that time, strikes out swinging and leaves Gardner at third. Excellent win for Jays tonight.
Excellent: Villanueva, five innings 75 pitch outing for the win and did everything and more than was expected of him. JP with four RBIs night, Hill two hits and important rbi in the sixth Bautista, his lead off home run in the first and even the intentional walk to him in the sixth lead to a big inning and also enabled him to score.
Not so good: Only Encarnacion tonight, strikes out here times and the error. Add on the top of the ninth and both Davis and Patterson making first pitch outs, not good at all. Not when they are hitting in front of Bautista.
By the way: Good to see Travis getting his first home run at the weekend in Vegas.
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