Jays v Rays Series finale.
Jays missed their opportunity last night to send a message to the Rays and say watch our dust as they streak past them into third spot in the division. Now they have to fight just to get back to half a game behind But they will have to play offensively and defensively a whole lot better than last night to give Joe Maddon sleepless nights. Jays need much better run production from Lind, Hill and Snider and need to remember their spring training infield defence against the bunt, pleeeease.
Line-ups: Jays: Escobar, Rasmus, Bautista, Lind, Encarnacion, Thames, Hill, Snider, Arencibia and Cecil pitching.
Rays: Jennings, Damon, Longoria, Zobrist, Upton, Kotchman, Rodriguez, Ruggiano, Shoppach and Wade Davis pitching.
Top 1st: Much bigger crowd today and noisier !!! Must be camp day in Tampa. Jays will have to take them out of the equation by racking up the runs early. Escobar leading off, full count, low ball four, good at bat by Yunel. Rasmus, was hitting the ball hard last night. Perfect Colby, lines it into left, opposite field hit and bounces into the crowd in the corner, ground rule double, and Jays have two in scoring position for Bautista, nobody out. 3-1 count, down and away for ball four, semi-intentional there, bases loaded for Lind, great time for him to get it going. 0-2 count, that will do it singles into right, and Escobar comes home 1-0 Jays with bases still loaded. Encarnacion, 2-0 count, grounds to Rodriguez at short, over to second on to first, Edwin’s signature double play ball but Rasmus scores, 2-0 Jays two down for Thames. Bautista at third. Strikes out on three pitches. 26 pitch inning. Rays will be satisfied with that. Jays had great opportunity to break it open early and may regret this.
Bottom 1st: Cecil with a lead but could have been more. Jennings leading off, strikes out swinging, Damon, lucky break grounds to Lind and just beats Damon to the bag, Damon disagrees. Two down for Longoria, pulls it hard to left but right at Snider for the catch. Good three up and down 10 pitch inning for Cecil.
Top 2nd: Hill leading off. Pops up to Kotchman at first one down for Snider. Travis lucky to be still in the line-up. Strikes out swinging, two down for Arencibia. Strikes out swinging.
Bottom 2nd: Zobrist, bunting, but back to Cecil who makes no doubt about his throw to Lind, one down for Upton, grounds back to Cecil, throw to Lind for out number two. Kotchman, full count, outside ball four. Rodriguez, with two down. 2-0 count, Cecil losing focus here. That’s better 2-2, strikes out swinging, nice pitch Brett. Pitch count 27.
Top 3rd: Top of the order Escobar, high fly ball to Upton, one down. Rasmus, another huge pop up to Ruggiano in right, two down. Bautista 2-2 count, grounds to Longoria, throw to Kotchman for third out. Jays go quietly and also Davis getting on top. Pitch count 50.
Bottom 3rd: Ruggiano, 2-2 count, strikes out swinging, one down for Shoppach, 2-2 count, ouch hits him inside. Jennings one on one down. grounds to Escobar throw to Hill at second to get Shoppach no chance for two. Damon with two down and runner Jennings at first. 3-0 come on Brett worry about Damon not Jennings. That’s better full count, Jennings doing wind sprints as Damon fouling them off, down and away ball four, two on for Longoria. Lines it to Snider in left to get out of this mess, but his pitch count now higher than Davis. Not good.
Top 4th: Lind, golfs this one to right but Ruggiano has it at the wall. Encarnacion, strikes out swinging, starting to look as he did in early season which is not good news. Thames, two down. First pitch grounds to short, throw to Kotchman at first and Jays give in here. That was a seven pitch inning, pretty bad hitting performance from all three. The good news is that when Lawrie gets here one of them will be sitting.
Bottom 4th: Has Cecil got his focus back? Zobrist leading off. 1-2 count, grounds to Bautista at third, throw to Lind one down. Upton, grounds to Bautista, throw to Lind, two down. Kotchman, singles to Snider in right. Rodriguez, just misses home run here just foul of the pole in left. full count, strikes out swinging but Cecil is labouring here, definitely not as sharp and using up loads of pitches. 71 pitch count. Will be lucky to get through six today.
Top 5th: Jays need to pad their lead. Hill leading off, swings at high ball one. Lines next pitch to Ruggiano in right, one down. It will be interesting to see who plays in second next season. Snider, pops it up to Longoria, Snider slams his bat on the ground, frustration, you should be a fan Travis. Arencibia, two down, full count, outside ball four. Two down one on for Escobar, that will do, singles back up the middle, two on two down for Rasmus. Grounds to second, throw to Kotchman for third out. Pitch count 76.
Bottom 5th: Cecil badly needs a quick inning, Ruggiano grounds back up the middle. Shoppach, fly ball to Snider in left, one down. Jennings bunting of course, and up the first base line and no chance for Cecil, when will this Jays team prepare for the bunt????? Two on one down. Damon just as likely to repeat it here. Oh boy, grounds to Hill at second flips to Escobar to get Jennings but throw late to get Damon. Longoria, and Yes you knew this was coming, fly ball to left and into the crowd, three run home run and Rays go out ahead, 3-2. Zobrist, lines it to left centre, nice running catch by Snider to end this one, but Jays playing catch up now and so far they have not looked capable. Small ball defence should be top of the list for spring training for everyone of this team. Cecil pitch count now 86, ouch.
Top 6th: Davis has been cruising since the first and no wonder with his team helping him out with the small ball. Bautista leading off. Lines it to Upton in centre, one down for Lind, singles into right, his second hit but still no power from Adam, one on for Encarnacion. 1-2 count, pops it up to Zobrist but Lind will be relieved it was not a double play. Two down for Thames. First pitch swinging pops it up to Zobrist in right to end another messy inning for the Jays.
Bottom 6th: Upton leading off, are they bunting? Grounds to Bautista throw to Lind just gets him, that was very close but right now Cecil will take any outs. Kotchman, full count, ball four. Rodriguez, Casey Janssen warming up. 2-2 count, lines to Thames in right, two down. Ruggiano, fly ball to Rasmus for the third out. Much better inning for Cecil but it will be his last with pitch count over the 100. He needs some help to win this one and the way his team is hitting in Tampa the last two days it is not very likely. Three runs in the last fifteen innings.
Top 7th: Hill, gets hit in the back, one way of getting on base for Aaron. Leadoff guy on, chance for Jays to get back in this one. It would be good to see Davis pinch running here. No chance, Farrell has lost his aggressive style he had early in the season. Snider, 2-2 count, grounds to short, throw to second on to first, double play ball, another reason to have Rajai Davis out there. Two down. Arencibia, full count, grounds to Zobrist at second throw to first.
Bottom 7th: Jays need three innings from someone. Janssen to start, Shoppach grounds first pitch to Bautista, throw to Lind in time one down, Jennings, strikes out looking, two down Damon, lines to Bautista for the catch. Quick three up and down by Janssen, very nice inning, he meant business you could see it in his body language and what I like is the energy he has brought into this game. Now can it rub off on his hitters?
Top 8th: Jays running out of chances. Top of the order though to get them back in this one. Escobar, pops it up to Ruggiano, one down for Rasmus. Lines this one high to left centre but Upton chases it down. Rasmus has been hitting the ball hard over the last two games just not getting the bases. Bautista, YES JOSE !!! connects on this one, hammers it into the seats in left, 3-3 game. WOW he crushed that one, no doubt as soon as it left the bat. And that is the end for Davis. He will not win this one either. New game now for Jays hitters. Lind, can he do something? Howell lefty lefty matchup lines it to left but Zobrist makes a nice leaping catch.
Bottom 8th: Longoria, full count, strikes out swinging, great pitch. One down for Zobrist, grounds to Bautista, throw to Lind for second out. Upton, full count, Casey being careful here. Strikes out swinging. Very nice work Casey.
Top 9th: Farnsworth now pitching. Encarnacion leading off, at least no double play but Edwin we need a big hit here. Grounds to Rodriguez at short, throw to Kotchman one down. Thames, 0-2 count, strikes out swinging. Hill two down, lines it hard to centre but no problem for Upton. Farnsworth does his job.
Bottom 9th: Here comes Frank Francisco. Get the heart pills out but it should never have reached this situation. Kotchman, grounds to Hill at second, throw to Lind, one down for Joyce pinch hitting for Rodriguez. 2-2 count, pops it up, everyone converges at the mound, Bautista makes the catch two down. Sam Fuld pinch hitting for Ruggiano. full count, singles to right. Shoppach, pitch out, Fuld not going. 2-1 count, running on the pitch and safe on the throw, full count, perfect lines it to left right at Snider. Extra innings. Frankie did his job, now can the hitters?
Top 10th: Joel Peralta pitching. Snider 0-3 today. Fly ball to Upton. Snider’s misery continues. Arencibia, full count, ball four and here comes Rajai Davis, pinch running for Arencibia. Now let’s have some fun here. Escobar, 2-1 count, lots of throws over here. Oh no, Rajai gets back but stumbles and off the bag and Kotchman gets him two down. 3-1 count, ball four. Rasmus, here comes the manager, wants the lefty Jake McGee for Colby. One on two down.1-2 count, YES COLBY lines this high and hard to left centre just off the wall, and here comes Escobar to score, 4-3 Jays. Colby showing his power to opposite field with that double. Bautista now getting intentional walk but if Colby had been out Jose would not get chance to hit. Two on two down for Lind. Ok Adam chance to be a hero. Base hit will be fine. 0-2 count, strikes out swinging. Oh boy.
Bottom 10th: Rauch now for the save but he has the top of the Rays order to deal with. Jennings, oh boy, lines this one to left and into the seats, home run Jennings and just like that this game is tied up again 4-4. Jays have one need and that is a closer big-time. Damon, 3-1 count. Pops up to Bautista at third, one down for Longoria, 2-2 count, strikes out. two down Zobrist, lines it at Lind makes the play himself but Rauch too little too late here this inning. Who will get the 11th?
Top 11th: Juan Cruz now pitching. Middle of the order not the best three to have out there. Encarnacion leading off. Can’t do too much damage. 0-4 today but his double play did the damage in the first inning. 2-2 count, That’s ok Edwin loops it into centre. Soft looper. But a base hit. Thames, bunting oh no. Misses anyway why do they bother? 1-2 count, it had better be off now. That’s better hitting away. Strikes out swinging and you have to wonder why no pinch hitter if the bunt was needed. Johnny Mc is a better bet than Thames, no knock on Thames but he is a rookie. Hill, full count, that’s ok Aaron, singles into centre. Two on one down for Snider. This should be interesting Travis 0-4 today and very frustrated, gets another chance. 2-0 count, bounces to short, they get Hill at second but no throw to first. Two on, two down for Molina. 2-1 count, PERFECT JOSE, lines it to the corner in deep centre left, bounces off the wall away from Upton and here comes Encarnacion followed by Snider and Jose to third !!! a triple. 6-4 Jays. Have the lead again and this time two runs. Escobar now. Lines it to Joyce in right for the out but Jays have the lead again.
Bottom 11th: Rauch is still out there. This is a very questionable call by Manager Farrell. Upton leading off, doubles to the corner I don’t believe this. Kotchman singles to right, this is unbelievable. Now Bruce Walton out there give the guy a kick in the pants Bruce. What is his problem? Two on nobody out for Joyce, 2-0 count, grounds to Hill, throw to Lind to get one, here comes Upton to score 6-5. One down and that is the end of Rauch keep on travelling home Jon. Anywhere. But Jays fans will question the judgement of Farrell leaving him in there. Camp now pitching, Elliot Johnson fly ball to Snider in left two down. Chirinos pinch hitting for Shoppach, he was the guy who did the damage last night with the three run home run, singles to Rasmus in centre, here comes Kotchman and this one is tied up yet again. 6-6. Top of the order, Jays not out of this one yet. Jennings doubles to Thames in right, another in scoring position. Damon, they are walking him, intentional walk to Damon, not sure I would want to get to Longoria however. Perfect grounds back off Camp to Bautista throw to Lind for third out. But Jays have blown yet another lead.
Top 12th: Chirinos stays in the game as catcher. Gomes now pitching. Rasmus leading off, fly ball to left, Jennings has it for the out. One down for Bautista, strikes out, Lind, two down singles to right when it doesn’t really matter. Encarnacion grounds to Lonngoria throw to second to get Lind. Jays go quickly but they must be distraught with that turn of events by the bullpen.
Bottom 12th: 6-6 game. Camp still out there, Zobrist fly ball to Thames in right, one down. Upton now lines it into right corner just foul and safe at third, triple to Upton. Kotchman, Intentional walk, Joyce, another intentional walk to load the bases base hit wins anyway. Elliot Johnson, 2-2 count, whoa strikes out swinging, two down but bases still loaded. Chirinos ball one, ball two, there’s a strike, grounds it past a diving Escobar into left and Jays lose a stinker big-time.
That loss is inexcusable.
The good: Lots from the hitters. Bautista home run in the seventh to tie it up. How many times has Bautista come through in the later innings? Rasmus with go ahead double in the 10th. Opposite field power shot, his second of the day. He is gradually getting in the zone. Jose Molina pinch hitting triple, an amazing pinch hit.
The bad: Lots of it today and all pitching and mostly the bullpen and especially Jon Rauch who blew it not once but twice. Can a player blow the same game twice? Evidently yes. That must be record. (I know the run was scored off Camp but it was Rauch who gave up the one and then put Camp in that situation)
You have to wonder whether a pitching Manager has a bias ???? Would another manager have pulled Rauch after the first blown save? Encarnacion in the first with the double play which ruined an interesting start to the game and a base hit would have made huge difference to this one. What can we say about Hill, Thames and Snider, once again 1-15 between the three of them. And yes we have to mention Rajai Davis who got himself out at crucial part of the game.
Jays had so many chances to win this one. But instead they find themselves going in the opposite direction to Tampa and holes to fill before they can get to third let alone any playoff hopes. Very, very disappointing series but on the bright side I hope it brings Lawrie to this team faster plus a decent closer even Casey Janssen would be better than Rauch.
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