Home run power from Rivera and Encarnacion as Jays win behind Villanueva gem

Jays v Cardinals. Game two of three.

After last night’s ninth inning excitement Jays fans are eager for repeat tonight. It was so good to see Jose getting his home run stroke back apart from his work with the glove. We should enjoy whilst we can as he may be at third as soon as Sunday. However it was Eric Thames who was the catalyst both in the first inning and the fifth with doubles to the wall. That has been missing for so long from number two. Farrell has changed the line-up no Thames tonight, Hill is hitting number two, Encarnacion back at third. Even though it may be the very last time we see him out there if Bautista is ready.

Line-ups: Jays: Escobar, Hill, Bautista, Lind, Arencibia, Rivera, Encarnacion, Davis and Villanueva pitching and hitting.
Cards: Theriot, Jay, Holliday, Berkman, Rasmus, Molina, Descalso, Schumaker, and Garcia pitching and hitting.

Top 1st: Escobar, bounces to short, throw to first for one down. Hill, yes he is good and should be higher up BUT has no speed and certainly not a Thames. Full count, ball four, takes the walk. One on one down for Bautista. Singles to centre, Hill moves to third. Lind, 0-2, pitch selection Adam. Strikes out swinging on three pitches, that was one awful at bat by Lind. Arencibia, with two down and two on. Fly ball to left to end the inning. Two left out there in first inning, same old story. Key at bat though was Lind, he owes the team. Sometimes Adam gives the impression his mind is elsewhere.
Bottom 1st: Theriot, full count. Singles to left, one on for Jay, singles first pitch into right, Theriot to third on the play, Villanueva in trouble now these guys perform when runners in scoring position Holliday, grounds to Escobar, throw to Hill over to Lind double play but Theriot scores, 1-0 Cards. Berkman, with two down. Full count. Fly ball to Rivera in left. Could have been a lot worse.

Top 2nd: Rivera, fly ball right, one down for Encarnacion, no chance for double play Edwin relax. Fly ball to centre, two down. Davis grounds to third, throw to first, this is too easy for Garcia.
Bottom 2nd: Rasmus, 2-2 count, bounces to third, Encarnacion throw to Lind, one down. Yadier Molina, pops up to shallow centre for Davis, two down. Descalso pops up to third for Encarnacion. Three up and down for Villanueva. Nice inning.

Top 3rd: Villanueva leading off. 3-1 count, ball four, not exactly what he wants to do stand out there all inning. Escobar best gift would be home run here. 3-1 count, another ball four, two on nobody out for Hill. Come on Aaron help Villanueva out here. He needs a break before pitching next inning. Grounds to second, throw to first to get Hill, Villanueva and Hill move into scoring position for Bautista. Intentional walk, Jose not seeing a pitch here. Bases loaded for Lind. Adam had better get his head into this at bat. 1-2 count, that will do it, fly ball to centre, Villanueva tags and scores 1-1 game. Escobar to third on throw. Arencibia grounds to third, throw to Berkman not in time, throw was high and Berkman had to leap off the bag. Arencibia ruled safe, error to third, but JP may have got away with one, Bautista scores, 2-1 Jays. Rivera two down two on, that’s more like it Juan, Rivera slams this one into left seats, home run, three runs score. 5-1 Jays. Encarnacion fly ball to centre to end the inning but they don’t need Edwin’s at bat this inning at least.
Bottom 3rd: Garcia leading off. strikes out looking, one down for Schumaker hitting in number nine spot. Grounds to Hill, nice diving save and throw from his knees to Lind to get him, two down. Theriot, 2-2 count, fly ball to Bautista in right to end the inning.

Top 4th: Davis grounds to third, throw to first, one down for Villanueva. Strikes out swinging, two down. Escobar, Jays have certainly taken the crowd out of the game, it is SO quiet. 2-2 count. Lines it hard back at Garcia, throw to first, Escobar ambles down to first, come on Escobar, one day the guy at first is going to drop the ball and you will really be shown up. Hustle and heart ?? Not from Yunel.
Bottom 4th: Jay, full count, singles into left, one on for Holliday, lines it very hard but right at Davis in centre, one down for Berkman, pops it up very high to Hill at second, two down. Rasmus, 3-1 count, low, ball four, two on two down for Molina. Full count, singles into left, here comes Jay, 5-2 game. Two down but two on the corners. Descalso, 0-2 count, strikes out on three pitches.

Top 5th: Hill leading off. Just get on base Aaron. That will do, singles into centre. Bautista, lines it hard to centre for the out. One down Lind, Hill going, grounds to first Berkman takes it no chance for two, Hill safe at second. Arencibia with two down and runner in scoring position. Long time since JP went deep. Strikes out swinging. Jays leave another in scoring position, that is three Arencibia has left out there, they can’t keep doing this, it will come back and bite them big-time.
Bottom 5th: Garcia, 0-2 count, grounds to Lind, takes it himself, one down. Schumaker, grounds to Escobar, long throw but not in time. Runner safe at first. Theriot, high fly ball to Davis, two down. Jay, 2-2 count, strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Top 6th: Rivera leading off, grounds to short, long throw but gets Rivera at first, Encarnacion, there we go Edwin, doubles into left field corner. Davis high fly ball to right, Encarnacion tags and gets to third, two down for Villanueva. 1-2 count, way outside, strikes out swinging.
Bottom 6th: Holliday leading off grounds to Encarnacion, throw to Lind for first out. Berkman, grounds back up the middle, but Villanueva makes nice grab, and throw to Lind, two down, nice play Villanueva saves that going into centrefield. Rasmus, full count, fly ball to centre but Davis has to run this one down for third out. Villanueva has done his part tonight.

Top 7th: Escobar leading off, grounds to short, throw to Berkman for first out, Hill, 3-0 count, slow roller up third base line, throw high but Hill long safe at first, one on one down for Bautista. We don’t often see that, lines it to third hard throw to second on to first double play to end the inning.
Bottom 7th: Will we see Villanueva? No that’s it, 96 pitches. Not bad for a long reliever. Jon Rauch, Molina leading off, first pitch fly ball to Bautista in right, one down. Descalso, grounds to Rauch off his leg to Escobar, no chance for throw. Hamilton pinch hitting for Garcia. 0-2 count, lines it right at Hill to make the catch cannot double them up, two down. Schumaker, same play to Hill to make the catch and Rauch does nice job.

Top 8th: Lind leading off, not a great night tonight with the bat at least. Ryan Franklin pitching. Pops it up, great diving catch by Descalso close to the pitching mound. Arencibia, first pitch, awful, grounds to second throw to Berkman two down. Arencibia in deep funk with his bat, thumb or not. Rivera, bounces to short, throw to Berkman for third out. Not a good inning by these free-swinging Jays.
Bottom 8th: Theriot singles up the middle, one on. Jay, ouch, hits him, two on for Holliday. Bullpen working. Why are they so late getting ready ???? This is the eighth inning game on the line. 1-2 count, strikes out looking, one down, not happy, Holliday arguing with umpire and us throw out of the game. Rzepczynski now pitching. Farrell arguing with umpire, sounds as if he wanted to make double switch but umpire asked him to wait until La Russa had finished but as he crossed the line could not make the double switch. Only the pitching change, for double switch he has to go to home plate umpire first, weird rule. Rookie Manager mistake ? Very nice, Berkman grounds to second throw to Lind at first double play ball to end this threat.

Top 9th: Kozma at second. Encarnacion, whoa, Edwin gets hold of all of this one, this one is OUT of here. Edwin??? Home run, 6-2 Jays. Davis grounds to short, throw to first one down. Patterson pinch hitting for the pitcher, 0-2 count, strikes out swinging, two down. Escobar. 1-2 count, pops up to Schumaker playing in right this inning to end this one.
Bottom 9th: Storm is all around with lightning in the distance. Francisco pitching, not a save but was warming up before Edwin hit that home run, everyone has so little confidence in Edwin. Patterson stays in at left. Rasmus leading off, full count. Doubles into right. Don’t go away friends. Molina, 0-2 count, strikes out swinging, one down. Descalso, 1-2 count, singles into left, two on, one down for Andrew Brown pinch hitting for pitcher. Storm getting worse, this could be a factor here now, you do not want a delay. Ran starting and crowd leaving fast, but it is the lightning that is the potential danger. 1-2 count, strikes out, two down for Schumaker, grounds back to Francisco, oh no!! Frank throws it in dirt to Lind and run scores 6-3 Jays. Whoa. That was an easy out, he had lots of time, Error. Theriot now with two on. 0-2 count, Whoa, almost another, grounds back at Francisco, off his glove, but Hill recovers and throw to Lind for third out. That was much too close. Jays win number two 6-3 and the series. Tomorrow Romero and chance for the sweep.

The very good: Rivera comes through with key three run home run. But tonight Villanueva another excellent game for win number five. What a find he has been.
The good: Ironic, just as this might be the last game for Encarnacion he comes through with multi–hit game including home run. He may have bought himself a reprieve for one more game at third, giving Bautista more time to adjust to third. Hill two hits and a great defensive play. Bullpen in support of Villanueva.

Not so good: RISP again but they win which is important tonight.