Jays v Orioles Game two of three.
The big pre-game news today of course is the massive trade by the Jays. For the blog readers in Europe and Asia who may not have read about it, Alex made multi-player trade with Chicago White Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Initially from the White Sox, Edwin Jackson and Mark Teahen to the Jays for Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart. The second trade involved sending Jackson to the Cardinals to obtain Colby Rasmus the target of the convoluted trade. Jays also sent Mark Rzepczynski, Corey Patterson, Otavio Dotel to the Cards and received ex-Jays Brian Tallet and Trever Miller plus another reliever P.J.Walters. The Cards will also receive three more players to be named later or cash.
I have no problem with Patterson going, ditto Frasor and Rzepczynski. Dotel was ok against right handed hitters and had done that role well. The newcomers: Tallet is certainly not my favourite ex-Jay, but Jays need some long relief and it is a couple of seasons ago so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Miller it is long ago that he is certainly not the same pitcher as before.
It will be interesting to see how the outfield shapes up now as presumably Thames and Davis will become the odd ones out. Rasmus of course is the key and if he can live up to expectations then it is a great deal for centre field. Somehow though I don’t think Alex has finished with his trades.
Back to tonight’s game and the need for Jays to rebound from that awful performance last night. They have the right guy pitching in Romero but it is the hitting that was off last night. Great news also re Bautista as he returns to the line-up tonight after being hit in the head last night.
Line-ups: Orioles: Hardy, Markakis, Jones, Guerrero, Lee, Wieters, Reynolds, Pie, Davis and Romero pitching.
Jays: Escobar, Thames, Bautista, Lind, Encarnacion, Snider, Hill, Davis, Arencibia and Romero pitching.
Top 1st: Hardy, strikes out on three pitches, nice start Ricky. Markakis, full count, ball four, one on one down for Jones, bounces to Bautista at third throw to Lind, two down and Markakis to second. Guerrero, high pop up to Davis in centre to end the inning.
Bottom 1st: Escobar, Alfredo Simon pitching, singles into right, Thames off the end of his bat to the mound, throw to first to get Thames but Escobar moves to second for Bautista, great ovation for Jose. Lots of relief that he is back so soon. Full count, singles into left, Pie tries to throw it and ball pops out of his hand behind him. Escobar scores easily, 1-0 Jays. Lind, singles into left, one down two on for Encarnacion. Strikes out swinging, two down for Snider. Strikes out leaving two on. Travis not happy these days.
Top 2nd: Lee, full count, ball four. Wieters, singles under the glove of Escobar but that was a difficult chance, no error, to Snider in left, two on nobody out. Reynolds, another full count, perfect grounds to Escobar, to Hill on to Lind double play as Wieters gets to third. Pie, another full count, oh Ricky gets away with this one as it bounces to the backstop and Wieters does not come home, started to but then went back. Ball four, Blake Davis. Pops it up to Rajai Davis in centre but that was expensive 27 pitch inning for Romero.
Bottom 2nd: Hill, lines it to left but a long out. One down for Davis, whoa just misses foul pole in left, that was very close. Singles to centre, now for some base running fun. Arencibia, strikes out swinging. Escobar two down, there he goes and safe on the throw. Steal number 30 for Rajai. Will he take third. 3-0 count, there he goes, safe and ball four. Thames, singles to right, here comes Davis to score, 2-0 Jays. Escobar to second, Bautista pops up to Wieters.
Top 3rd: Hardy leading off, strikes out. One down for Markakis, grounds to Lind at first base, flip to Romero. Jones, doubles to Davis in centre. Guerrero, grounds to Bautista, throw to Lind at first to ends the inning.
Bottom 3rd: Lind grounds to Davis at second, throw to Lee at first, one down for Encarnacion, fly ball to Jones in centre, two down for Snider, strikes out.
Top 4th: Lee, leading off, grounds to Escobar throw to Lind at first for the out. One down for Wieters, strikes out. Two down, Reynolds, grounds to Hill throw to Lind at first to ends the inning, another three up and down for Romero.
Bottom 4th: Hill fly ball to Jones in centre for the first out. Rajai Davis, strikes out. Arencibia, there she goes, JP hammers this one into left field and into the seats, his third home run this week, is he hot. Jays leading 3-0. Escobar, grounds to Hardy throw to Lee to end the inning but Jays have added another here.
Top 5th: Pie grounds to Lind throw to Romero. Davis grounds to Lind Adam takes it himself for the out, two down for Hardy. Hardy strikes out.
Bottom 5th: Thames singles to right. One on for Bautista, grounds to Hardy at short, throw to Lee at first, two down, Thames to third on the play. Lind, intentional walk. Showalter would rather pitch to Edwin. Encarnacion strikes out. Two down, Showalter was correct. Snider, another o-fer night. Not much help here, strikes out for the third time tonight.
Top 6th: Markakis leading off, grounds to Escobar throw to Lind. One down for Jones, singles to right. Guerrero grounds to Bautista, throw to Hill over to Lind, double play ball.
Bottom 6th: Jakubauskas now pitching. Hill singles to centre, Aaron getting more consistent now with his hitting but it looks as if it is much too late for this season and his contract with the Jays. Davis, wild pitch, Hill moves to second. Davis full count, ball four.
Two on for Arencibia, fly ball to Jones in centre. One down. Escobar singles to right, Bases are loaded with only one down. Hill at third, Davis at second. Jays can break this one open her. Thames strikes out. Two down for Bautista, strikes out to end the inning.
Top 7th: Lee leading off singles to left. Wieters with one on, strikes out. Reynolds grounds to Bautista throw to Hill to get Lee. Pie with two down one on, strikes out.
Bottom 7th: Patton now pitching. Lind strikes out. Encarnacion doubles to left. Snider 0-3 tonight all strikeouts, 0-4 as he strikes out for the fourth time. Travis really needs some help here. Hill with two down, and runner at second, fly ball to Jones in centre.
Top 8th: Davis leading off, lines to Bautista at third. Hardy strikes out. Markakis grounds to Hill throw to Lind for third out. Quick inning for Ricky.
Bottom 8th: Ex-Jay closer Kevin Gregg pitching. Davis strikes out. Arencibia strikes out.Two down for Escobar grounds to Davis throw to Lee at first base.
Top 9th: Jones, leading off, strikes out. One down for Guerrero, strikes out, but wild pitch and ball gets away, Guerrero to first on the play. Bell now pinch-running for Guerrero. Lee hit by a pitch, now is that the payback pitch. Bell to second. Here comes Manager Farrell. 126 pitches for Romero, just could not finish it off but he should be very happy with this one after the early going. Rauch now pitching. Wieters lines to Snider in left.
Reynolds is the last chance for Orioles, fly ball to Snider. Rauch needs five pitches, Ricky was that close to complete game shutout.
Jays win 3-0 and avenge last night as well as get back to .500 but it would be so nice to see a long win-streak. Still on target for 81 wins which will not be a great result.
The very good: Romero shutout into the 9th inning and we cannot ask for much than that. Rauch did his job efficiently on five pitches, Romero was that close.
The not so good: Snider 0-4 with four strike outs, that is tough time and add on his previous three starts and you get a player in distress. Runners in scoring position Jays tonight 3-13.
Tomorrow the series decider but today was good start especially with all other Royal watch towers.
Plus of course with all the trade news distractions it is amazing that Jays could concentrate.
Also good today Mariners break their losing streak by winning in New Yorjk this afternoon.
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