Jays power from Encarnacion, Escobar and Rasmus supports Alvarez for 5-1 win.

Tigers v Jays. Game two of three. Great series start last night over the Tigers, can the Jays do it again. Alvarez pitching and coming off a lousy start last time out. As predicted here Escobar has decided that his back is recovered, sure Yunel. I think the issue is watching a great performance by the 45 year old Omar Vizquel who had a great game starting at short last night with a double and a triple plus a great barehanded out. Yunel had to sit through that and decide overnight that maybe his back was dramatically better. Too late Yunel we have your number. However Lind injury is being considered seriously and looks as if he might be out for a lot longer with the announcement that it is not just the lower back. Jays will need reinforcements for the bench. Maybe Cooper ? Sierra? Another strange lineup. Escobar is back so no Vizquel, Yunel not my choice. I think Vizquel played an excellent game yesterday. Rasmus DH today, first time in his career, that says it all. Why oh why. Davis leading off, another move I don’t like. No Mathis, no Vizquel. Lineups: Tigers: Jackson, Berry, Cabrera, Fielder, Young, Boesch, Peralta, Avila, Infante, and Sanchez pitching. Jays: Davis, Rasmus, Lawrie, Encarnacion, Snider, Escobar, Johnson, Gomes, Gose and Alvarez pitching. Gomes catching his first game. Top 1st: Jackson, 1-2 count, hammers this to left but Lawrie at third, makes tremendous leaping catch to rob him of at least a double, rescues Alvarez there. Berry 3-1 count, grounds to Encarnacion, steps on the bag for the second out. Cabrera, singles first pitch back up the middle to Gose playing centre for the first time. One on two down for Fielder, 0-2 count, this is trouble lines it to left, oh my, Snider makes a terrific running diving catch full length to catch this and end the inning. Whoa another Snider highlight reel catch to go with the catch he made in Fenway. This one saved the first run. Alvarez owes both Lawrie and Snider. When Jose is back in right, Jays will have an excellent outfield. Bottom 1st: Davis leading off, strikes out swinging. Rasmus, DH today, first time in his career ?? 1-2 count, strikes out swinging, two down for Lawrie, lines first pitch into right field corner to Boesch, stand up double. Why is Lawrie not leading off ? He gives so much to this offense. There is absolutely no contest at all comparing with Davis as leadoff. Encarnacion, lines to right but this time Boesch just makes the out reaching high to catch this one. Top 2nd: Young leading off, 3-1 count, fly ball to Gose in centre, one down. Boesch, 2-2 count, slow bouncer to Johnson at second just beats the throw, one on for Peralta, 2-2 count, fly ball to Davis in shallow right. Rajai, last minute catch, always makes it interesting. Two down. Avila 1-2 count, takes strike three. Good inning for Alvarez. Bottom 2nd: Snider, I like his hitting behind Edwin, 0-2 count, bounces up the middle, grounds to short, Peralta throw to Fielder for the out. One down for Escobar, 1-2 count, fly ball to Jackson in centre, two down. Johnson, grounds back to Sanchez, throw to Fielder. Quick three up and down for Sanchez. Top 3rd: Infante, 2-2 count, strikes out swinging, one down. Jackson lines back up the middle to Gose for a single, Berry, one on one down. 2-0 count, Perfect grounds back to Alvarez, throw to Escobar over to Edwin double play ball to end the inning. It will also help his pitch count. Bottom 3rd: Gomes, singles to Berry in left, he is getting more comfortable now playing regularly. Gose, one on, lines it back up the middle to Jackson in centre for a single. Two on and nobody out. Davis, oh boy bunting first pitch, back to Sanchez, throw to third to get Gomes. That was a waste. One down for Rasmus,0-2 count, wild pitch and Gose to third, Hello Rajai down at first. Now Davis steals second, weird guy. He didn’t run on the wild pitch. This will do it, Colby full count, fly ball to Jackson in centre, here comes Gose to score, 1-0 Jays. Davis stays put. Two down for Lawrie, drives it to Jackson in centre for the third out. But Jays strike first. Top 4th: Cabrera 2-2 count, grounds to Escobar, throw to Edwin, one down. Fielder, bounces one back to Alvarez, throw to Edwin, two down. Young, 1-2 count, lines to Snider in left, one on for Boesch, 2-2 count, this is trouble, lines to the gap in left centre, all the way to the wall for Gose, here comes Young to score and all tied up 1-1. Boesch at second. Peralta, wild pitch but Boesch not going, full count, Peralta strikes out swinging to end the inning. Bottom 4th: Encarnacion leading off, 1-1 count, WHOA Edwin, drives this to right centre, this one is out of here. Home run number 28 and RBI 72 for Edwin. 2-1 Jays. Snider, 2-2 count, grounds hard to Fielder, one down. Escobar, fly ball to Boesch two down. Johnson, 3-0 count, ball four, Sanchez cannot throw strikes here, he has been strike machine all afternoon, one on two down for Gomes, ball one, 3-1 count, there goes Johnson and no throw, ball four to Gomes, back to back walks, two on two down. Gose, swinging at first pitch, not very smart, pay attention Anthony, you take the first one after eight balls and a strike, 1-2 grounds back to Sanchez, throw to Fielder for the out. Jays get one but should have been more. I hope they do not regret it. Top 5th: Avila, 1-1 count, grounds to Escobar, throw to Edwin, one down. Infante, 1-2 count, fly ball to right but Davis runs it down and makes the catch for second out. Jackson, 1-1 count, grounds to Lawrie at third, throw to Edwin for third out. Alvarez humming along now. Bottom 5th: Davis, 1-1 count, grounds to short, Peralta throw to Fielder in time for the out. One down. Rasmus, 0-2 count, lines to Jackson in shallow centre for a single. Lawrie, one on one down, 1-2 count, pulls it hard to Cabrera at third, throw to second to get Rasmus not in time for two at first. Speed from Lawrie. Two down. Encarnacion with Lawrie at first. 2-2 count, there goes Lawrie and safe on the throw, risky play Brett but it came off. Full count. I guess if he were out Edwin would have lead of the next inning. Now base open, high ball four and they walk Edwin. Two on for Snider, 1-1 count, hammers it hard to right but Fielder makes the catch to rob Travis. Top 6th: Berry bunting first pitch, back to Alvarez, throw to Edwin for the out. Thank you very much. One down for Cabrera, 3-1 count, inside ball four, walk to Cabrera, not good here with Fielder to bat. 3-1 count, Alvarez being ultra-careful, low ball four, back to back walks but he is playing safe with those two. Jays bullpen Crawford working though. Young, 1-1 count, fly ball to shallow right but Davis makes the out. Runners hold. Boesch 2-1 count, high pop up to shallow left but Travis makes the out, leaving two on. Alvarez bites the bullet. 95 pitch count. Bottom 6th: Escobar, first pitch swinging, fly ball to left centre and this one is carrying and out of here, home run for Escobar, he will love that. 3-1 Jays. Johnson, 1-2 count, just puts his bat on it and pops up to Peralta at short, one down. Gomes same play, pops up to Peralta, two down. Gose, full count, inside strikes out swinging. Jays get another but two run lead is not enough against a team like the Tigers. Top 7th: Alvarez still out there. 95 pitch count. Peralta leading off, 1-2 count, takes strike three. Avila, 0-2 count, grounds to Edwin, steps in the bag for the second out. Infante, grounds to Lawrie, throw to Edwin. 104 pitch count. Bottom 7th: Top of the order, Rajai Davis. Lines first pitch to left and off the wall, stand up double for Rajai. Nice start. Rasmus now chance for RBI. Rajai stealing now ?? yes, there he goes, and safe on the throw. Not sure about that with Colby at bat. No matter, Colby special here as he hammers it to right and into the crowd. Home run Colby no doubt at all about that one. We have seen that swing all season long. Whoa.... 5-1 Jays. That is it for Sanchez. Villareal now pitching. Lawrie, nobody out. Lifts it into shallow right. Single for Brett. Encarnacion, one on nobody out. 2-0 count, wild pitch 3-0. Outside ball four. Wanted nothing to do with Edwin. Two on for Snider. 1-2 count, double steal but Travis fouls it off. Drives it to left centre for the out at the wall Lawrie tags and gets to third, Edwin almost at second and retreats. Leyland arguing that they passed each other. Lawrie at third, one down. Escobar, 1-1 count, there goes Edwin and out on throw to second, two down. 1-2 count, grounds to third, throw to first, Escobar unable to get the job done this time. But Jays have two more. Top 8th: J. Happ now pitching. I guess he will not be pitching for Romero on Monday. Top of the order, this is not over by any means, big bats looming. Jackson leading off. 3-1 count, high ball four, not good. Raburn pinch hitting. 0-1 count. High fly ball to Gose in centre, one down. Cabrera with one on and one down. This is huge at bat. 1-2 count, perfect, grounds to Lawrie, throw to second over to Edwin for double play ball. Just what doctor ordered. Bottom 8th: Phil Coke now pitching. Johnson leading off grounds to Infante at second, throw to Fielder for the out. Gomes, 2-0 count, this is good, drives it to the wall in centre and stand up double for Yan. Nice hit. Gose with runner in scoring position. 2-2 count, strikes out swinging, two down for Davis. 2-2 count, just misses here as he lines it to left, just foul. Strikes out swinging it took eight pitches to get him but he left Gomes out there and Rasmus in the on deck circle. Jays 1-10 RISP today. Just four of them would have made this lopsided win. Top 9th: Happ still out there, helping out bullpen today. At least that is the theory, Tigers may have other ideas. Fielder leading off. 2-2 count, looked strike three. Full count. Bounces high to Johnson, throw to Edwin, one down. Young, 2-2 count, strikes out swinging, two down for Boesch pops up the first pitch to Johnson down the right field line. Jays win and the series. Going for the sweep tomorrow. The good: Alvarez, seven innings, and apart from the win really helped the bullpen. Encarnacion home run to tie it up early. Escobar home run. Let’s not forget J. Happ two shutout innings. The bullpen looks a whole lot safer than it did before that Houston trade. Deadline is on Monday, will Jays have something to announce? Gomes did a nice job catching his first game. Great plays: First inning, Lawrie catch of line drive. Snider diving catch. Both plays saved the first inning. Not good at all: RISP 1-10.