Blue Jays 3 A’s 4
It was one of those days that Kevin Gausman didn’t really ‘have it’. He wasn’t sharp. But then he wasn’t helped out by his defense either.
He gave up two runs in the third. A lead-off single by Denzel Clarka, plus a throwing error by Tyler Heineman (he had a rough day), and a Lawrence Butler single got them one run. With two outs, Heineman was charged with catcher’s interference. A Brent Rooker double scored their second run.
And two more in the fifth. There was a leadoff walk, but that was erased by a caught stealing. Then, with two outs, a single and a Brent Rooker home run (just barely a home run).
Kevin went 5 innings, giving up 5 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.
Tommy Nance, Justin Bruihl and Chad Green each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
We got
- A run in the second on a Leo Jimenez home run.
- A run in the third, a leadoff double by Ernie Clement and a two-out double by Bo Bichett.
- A run in the eighth. Vlad led off with a walk, Bo doubled him to third (the ball hit 3/4s of the way up the center field wall, almost a home run), and he scored on an Alejandro Kirk sac fly.
We could have scored more in the eighth. Bo was on third with one out, but Addison Barger and Jimenez both struck out.
And we could have scored in the ninth. Joey Loperfido (pinch-hitting) led off with a walk. John had Nathan Lukes bunt. Honestly, not a fan of this, but he put down a good bunt. Lukes has been swinging the bat well, I’d have liked to trust him to have a good at bat. Ernie Clement struck out (with the help of an umpire who figured the outside edge of the strike zone extended to the opposite batter’s box). Clement was more than a little pissed, and George Springer struck out on pitches at the bottom of the zone.
We had just six hits. Two each for Bo (both doubles) and Clement (also both doubles). Myles Straw (double) and Jimenez (homer) had the others. Springer had a rough day, 0 for 5, 2 l.
We were 1 for 12 with RISP.
Jays of the Day: Bo (.235 WPS) and Loperfield (.115).
Other Award: Springer (-.294), Gausman (-.212), and Barger (-.182). And Heineman deserves one for a poor day behind the plate, two catcher interference calls and a throwing error.
Tomorrow, we close out the first half of the season. Jose Berrios (5-3, 3.53) vs Jeffrey Springs (7-6, 3.92). It is a 4:00 Eastern start.