Jays bats missing in support of great outing by Villanueva

Jays v Reds. Final game of series.

Jays have already won the first two and the series. Today Bronson Arroyo v Villanueva.

Line-ups: Jays: Escobar, Patterson, Bautista, Lind, Hill, Rivera, Arencibia, McDonald and Villanueva pitching and hitting.

Reds: Stubbs, Phillips, Votto, Bruce, Cairo, Lewis, Renteria, Hanigan and Arroya hitting and pitching.

Top 1st: Escobar leading off, singles to Bruce in right, Patterson, lines to Bruce in right, one down for Bautista. Pops up to Renteria behind third. Two down for Lind, 2-2 count, strikes out to end the inning. Have to wonder why Escobar didn’t move out there. Not even to get a throw over. This is why I want Davis out there, putting some pressure on the pitcher, taking second, taking third. Not standing out there like a statue.

Bottom 1st: Stubbs, grounds to Hill, throw to Lind, one down. Phillips, grounds to Escobar, throw to Lind, two down. Votto, singles to Rivera in left, his first hit of the series. Bruce, one on two down, high fly ball to Bautista for third out.

Top 2nd: Hill leading off, 3-1 count, high fly ball to Stubbs in centre, I wish Aaron would pull these things to left. Rivera, grounds it to Cairo at third, throw to Votto for second out. Arencibia, he has been very quiet recently, high pop up to Stubbs in centre. Jays going very quietly against Arroya.

Bottom 2nd: Cairo in for Rolen today. 3-1 count, pop up to Lind in front of the plate, taking charge today, one down. Ex-Jay Fred Lewis. Doubles into the right field corner. Renteria high fly ball to Rivera in left at the wall, two down. Hanigan,WHOA!!! Great play by Johnny Mac diving to stop this one and throw is perfect to get Hanigan.

Top 3rd: Johnny Mac leading off, grounds weakly to Cairo at third, throw to Votto, first pitch out. Villanueva, grounds to short, throw to Votto two down for Escobar. 2-2 count, singles to second, throw to Votto just beats Escobar, running for a change to first.

Bottom 3rd: Arroyo, 2-2 count, strikes out looking, one down for Stubbs. High fly ball to Rivera in left at the wall again, two down. Phillips lines it to Patterson running in from centre, nice catch Rajai.

Top 4th: Patterson, high pop up to shallow centre for Phillips. One down for Bautista, full count, that was the pitch Jose, lets it go and strikes out. Lind, drives this one to centre, great hit but right at the centre fielder for third out.

Bottom 4th: Votto, an excuse me pop up to Escobar, one down for Bruce singles to right, one on one down for Cairo, there goes Bruce, throw not in time. Arencibia complaining that Cairo in the way on throw, no good. Pops up to Lind, two down. Lewis, shatters his bat grounding to Hill, throw to Lind for third out.

Top 5th: Hill leading off, 1-1 count, FINALLY that s better Aaron lifts this one onto left field seats, home run Hill. That is HIS spot. 1-0 Jays. Rivera drives it to right, Jays have something going finally. Arencibia one on nobody out. Singles to right, Rivera to third. McDonald, oh boy, bunting pops up straight to Votto, throw to Cairo double play ball. Villanueva, pops up to second. That was awful. Jays had finally got to Arroya.

Bottom 5th: Renteria leading off. Grounds to Escobar, throw to Lind, one down for Hanigan, singles to Bautista in right. Arroyo, strikes out swinging, two down for Stubbs, high fly ball to Patterson in centre for third out. Looks as if he did not know how many outs there were as he throws ball back in

Top 6th: Escobar leading off, pulls it to Cairo at third, throw to Votto one down. Patterson, grounds first pitch to second, throw to Votto, two down. Bautista, singles into left. Lind with one on, pops up first pitch to shallow right. I feel so sorry for Villanueva who has pitched so well without any run support today. The fifth should have been a big inning.

Bottom 6th: Phillips leading off, grounds to Hill, throw to Lind, one down for Votto. Singles into left, one on one down for Bruce, pops up to Arencibia, two down for Cairo. This is trouble, big trouble, turns on first pitch and this one is deep into left field seats, two run home run and Reds go out ahead. Lewis with two down. Grounds to Escobar, throw not in time, Escobar had more time to make that throw, he rushed it and Lewis is safe as a result. Renteria, high fly ball to left at the wall for Rivera to make third out. But Jays now playing catch up.

Top 7th: Hill (first pitch) pops up to shallow left to Renteria. Rivera, 3-0 ball four, one on one down for Arencibia, strikes out swinging, two down. Here comes Encarnacion pinch hitting for McDonald, full count, grounds to short, throw to Vottto for third out.

Bottom 7th: Villanueva still only 78 pitches. He has pitched so very well with no run support. McCoy now in for McDonald at third. I am not convinced McDonald should have been playing today, too much emotion with his father dying before Fathers day last year. His head did not seem to be in the game and that missed bunt in the 5th was the crucial play in this game so far. Hanigan leading off. Pops up softly to Escobar behind short. One down for Arroyo, strikes out for third time this afternoon, two down for Stubbs. Fly ball to Bautista to end the inning.

Top 8th: Davis pinch hitting for Villanueva, strikes out swinging, one down for Escobar. Strikes out swinging, two down for Paterson. Grounds to second throw to Votto for third out, 102 pitch count for Arroyo.

Bottom 8th: Phillips fly ball to Bautista, one down. Votto, singles into centre, one on one down for Bruce, doubles into the right field corner. Trouble here. Two in scoring position for Cairo. That’s it for Villanueva, here comes Dotel. Cairo strikes out swinging, two down for Lewis. Intentional walk. Bases loaded. Renteria. Fly ball to Bautista. Nice pitching by Dotel.

Top 9th: Jays last shot at this one. The bats have been silent this afternoon and ruined a fine outing by Villanueva. Cordero with 14 saves only two blown this season. Bautista leading off, does not like that strike call, lines it to centre for first out. Lind, grounds to Votto flip to Cordero for second out. Hill, fly ball to right centre for third out.

Villanueva loses a very tough one here. He pitched into the eighth and if that fifth inning had gone the way it should, he would not be on losing end today. Jays hitters missing today.

The very good: Villanueva pitching a gem and deserving much better run support. Also pitching so economically with low pitch count into the eighth. Hill home run and finally into left seats. He has to do far more of this and forget the opposite field stuff (I think). He has such a good short swing going to left.

Not so good: Johnny Mac bunt failure in the 5th that ended in double play ball. That run turned out to be so crucial and was the turning point in the game.