Morrow superb outing supported by Lind home run power

Yankees v Jays. Final game of the series.

Last game against Yankees for 2011 season, series tied one apiece, winner takes all today. Morrow pitching against Garcia. We never know with Morrow, this could be an ugly result based on his last few games. He has won only two of his last ten. Great weather today and looks like a good crowd not as many as yesterday but my guess probably 35,000. Looks and sounds as if many of the Yankees fans from Friday and Saturday have already left for home, they are very quiet with the introductions. First gripe of the day, the Fan appreciation day a giveaway for first 10,000 fans. Always happens when Boston and Yankees fans are here they get in early to see Batting practice and snap up the giveaways leaving the little kids who are Jays fans unlucky. Can you see a Yankee fan wearing a Jays shirt in NY? I remember the same with the Halladay bobble head a couple of years ago and then they appeared on eBay. Make the giveaway day’s midweek games.

Line-ups: Yankees: Gardner, Nunez, Cano, Rodriguez, Swisher, Chavez, Martin, Dickerson, Pena and Garcia pitching. No Jeter, Teixeira or Granderson but all three have had problems with Morrow so I can see the opportunity to give them a day off rather than embarrass them. Because there is no way Girardi is not mailing in a loss.
Jays: McCoy, Thames, Bautista, Lind, Encarnacion, Johnson, Lawrie, Rasmus, Arencibia and Morrow pitching. Why is Encarnacion back in the line-up and playing first? After the dismal showing on Friday and inability to get anything with bases loaded three times, he sat yesterday and I thought that was it for the season. Not so. Ok Manager knows best.

Top 1st: Gardner 2-2 count, grounds to McCoy, throw to Encarnacion at first, one down. Good to see the back of Gardner, Morrow does not want him on base today. Nunez, that foul off nearly felled the umpire, took it flush on the mask and rocked him 1-2 count, bounces a slow hopper to McCoy and beats the throw, one on for Cano, full count, ball four. Two on one down for Rodriguez, there goes Nunez there goes Cano, double steal Arencibia throw gets Cano at second, nice throw JP. Two down, A-Rod lines to right but Bautista makes nice catch. A little rage there by A-Rod as he slams his helmet to the turf. Probably didn’t like the boos either. These fans have long memories A-Rod.
Bottom 1st: McCoy, lines out to Pena at short, one down for Thames, a tapper back to Garcia, throw to Chavez at first, two down. Bautista, grounds to Chavez takes it himself for the out. None of those four pitches topped 82mph. Don’t wait for any fast ball today Jose. Three up and down for Garcia.

Top 2nd: Swisher fly ball to Thames in left, one down. Chavez, strikes out looking. Martin grounds back up the middle McCoy gives way to Johnson and Kelly unable to make the throw, looks as if McCoy had a better chance on that one as he was moving towards the first base side whereas Johnson was going the other way and would have had to throw across his body. Martin safe at first, two down one on for Dickerson, strikes out swinging.
Bottom 2nd: Lind, 1-2, high fly ball to right, going back and this one is just over the wall, that looked like a typical Lind lazy fly ball out but kept on carrying, and the crowd lets us know that is a home run, 1-0 Jays. Encarnacion, full count, high ball four, Jays have something going. Kelly Johnson, there goes Encarnacion and throw to second gets him, slides into the glove waiting for him. Edwin stealing a base ??? Edwin we have news for you. Johnson, just misses right foul pole with that one into second deck, nice swing. full count, and another ball four. How different would this situation be if Encarnacion had now given himself up? There would be two on base and nobody out after that home run. Lawrie, strikes out swinging, two down. Rasmus, there goes Johnson and safe at second, the difference Edwin is that Kelly has speed. Rasmus full count, good at bat here, fouling them off, pops up to A-Rod at third. Long inning for Garcia 33 pitches.

Top 3rd: Pena leading off, strikes out. One down for Gardner, strikes out swinging, Morrow is really mowing them down now. Nunez lines it to left, Thames makes a great diving catch but he broke late, may not have seen it off the bat, and has to go back and lunge at full stretch for this one. Morrow does not mind, three up and down.
Bottom 3rd: Arencibia, strikes out. McCoy 2-2 count, strikes out swinging, two down for Garcia, Thames grounds to Nunez at second, throw to Chavez at first for the out. Three up and down for Garcia also.

Top 4th: Cano fly ball to Thames in left, one down for A-Rod, fly ball to right to Bautista for the second time. Two down Swisher fly ball to Thames in left to end the inning, another good inning for Morrow.

Bottom 4th: Bautista leading off, pops it up to Pena at short. Lind, 2-2 count, oh ho Adam, no questions about this swing, hammers it to centre and over the fence, another home run for Lind, he is locked in with Garcia today, 2-0 Jays. Gardner made a great leap at the wall but this one was over his glove. Encarnacion singles back up the middle, where was that hit for the last four bases loaded situations? Johnson grounds to Nunez at second, throw to Chavez at first, two down, Edwin moves to second. Lawrie strikes out. But Jays have another.

Top 5th: Chavez grounds to Johnson at second throw to Encarnacion at first, one down. Martin strikes out. Dickerson two down, strikes out swinging.

Bottom 5th: Rasmus fly ball to Gardner in centre, one down. Arencibia full count, ball four, one on one down for McCoy bunts to third Garcia makes the play himself and throws it away at first, McCoy safe at first, Arencibia to second and on to third base. Error to Garcia. Two on for Thames, makes no doubt about this fly ball to Gardner at the wall in centre, here comes Arencibia, 3-0 Jays. Bautista singles to left, McCoy to second. And that is the end of Garcia for today. Laffey now pitching. Lefty lefty matchup. Lind full count, and ball four. McCoy to third, Bautista to second. Bases are loaded and look who is here? Encarnacion again. How does he manage to always be the guy with bases loaded this is the fourth time in his last two games, and so far he has come up empty each time to end the inning. Surely not a fourth time Edwin. Ayala now pitching. I do NOT believe it Encarnacion does it again, fly ball to Gardner in centre and for the FOURTH time in two games Encarnacion has left the bases loaded to end an inning without even a miserable single. That is some record Edwin.

Top 6th: Pena leading off, grounds back to Morrow throw to Encarnacion at first, one down. Gardner pops up to Thames in left, two down. Nunez lines to Bautista in right, OH YES Jose, he has Nunez picked off, he rounded first base too far and Jose throws behind him, Encarnacion to McCoy for third out. Wow, what a great heads up play by Bautista.

Bottom 6th: Ayala still out there. Johnson leading off, strikes out, one down. Lawrie lines this one hard but right at Pena at short, two down. Rasmus grounds to Nunez throw to Chavez at first.

Top 7th: Cano lines out to Bautista in right, one down. A-Rod fly ball to Rasmus in centre, two down. Swisher strikes out. Excellent inning for Morrow.

Bottom 7th: Proctor now pitching. Arencibia doubles to left. McCoy bunting, catcher Martin throws to Chavez at first. Arencibia to third. Thames ouch, that really hurt Thames, looks as if he fouled off the pitch into his face. Here comes the trainer and Farrell. That is the end of Eric’s game today, is able to walk off, but that looked really nasty. Cooper pinch-hitting for Thames on a full count. Takes one pitch ball four. Wise pinch-running for Cooper, wild pitch, Wise to second. Bautista intentional walk. Bases are loaded. Valdes now pitching. Lind, strikes out. Oh no, look who is here again? This has to be a conspiracy, how can one guy come to the plate five times in two games with the bases loaded. OK Edwin this time surely. GROAN !!! bigtime groan and weep. He does it again, grounds to A-Rod at third, steps on the bag to get the out. Wise out at third, Bautista to second. That has to be world record let alone a major league record. But some of the blame now has to rest with Farrell, surely on earth he could use a pinch hitter for Encarnacion, How about Loewen, Cooper or even Molina. And Alex if this guy is Jays uniform in Spring you will get a revolt from the people who pay his salary. Please put us out of our misery, it is so painful to watch him.

Top 8th: Wise in left field for Thames. Chavez fly ball to Rasmus in centre, one down. Martin, grounds back to Morrow throw to Encarnacion at first. Dickerson grounds to Johnson, safe at first. Pena one on two down, strikes out.
Bottom 8th: Johnson grounds to Nunez throw to Chavez at first, one down. Lawrie singles to centre, one on one down for Rasmus, strikes out. Kontos now pitching. There goes Lawrie, Martin throw in time to get Lawrie at second and end the inning.

Top 9th: Francisco now pitching. He has been so much better since the All-Star break. Looks like a different guy out there. Gardner lines to McCoy at short, one down. Nunez doubles to centre. Cano fly ball to Rasmus. Two down, one on for Rodriguez, strikes out. How sweet is that ending. Jays win and the three game series.

Sorry Jim in New York. The better team won this weekend.

The excellent: Brandon Morrow although long overdue it was a pleasure to watch him in action this afternoon, he was a different pitcher from the last two months.
Lind with his two home runs. Thames with nice defensive play. Bautista with his defensive play to get Cano picked off.

The not so good: Today has to be Encarnacion and those two bases loaded situations. I think and hope he sent a loud message to Farrell.