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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays score two touchdowns to take the series against the San Diego Padres

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The Toronto Blue Jays looked to win the series against the San Diego Padres, who were riding a five-game losing streak heading into the evening contest. When the dust settled, it saw the Blue Jays demolishing the Padres to the tune of 14 runs to zero, with San Diego needing a position player to finish out the game on the mound.

It was the most runs the Jays have scored this season, backed by one of their best starts from Kevin Gausman.

“His stuff was good throughout the outing,” said manager John Schneider postgame. “He made big pitches with Arraez at third a couple of times, he’s had the stuff, and I think today put it together and kept them in-between… today he located the heater and split the zone.”

 

After striking out Fernando Tatis Jr, a Luis Arraez double had a runner in scoring position early, and a balk call from the umpiring crew moved him over to third base, much to the chagrin of the booing Jays fans. Manager John Schneider came out to quell the situation from progressing further, and Gausman buckled down to get Manny Machado to pop out to Guerrero Jr. in foul territory before striking out Jackson Merrill to end the inning. It was a precarious balk call, mostly dwelling on the right-hander’s leg motion as he settles in before firing home, one that has been called on him before but also let slide on multiple occasions.

“I am still kind of confused, to be honest,” explained Gausman on the balk call. “Supposedly, I came set twice, but I did the same thing the pitch before… Called it the second pitch. I was just happy I didn’t balk in the guy from third. I was still talking with Max after the game about it. He (umpire) said I came set twice, but I always pitch out of the stretch, so I don’t know how.”

The Blue Jays’ bats went down in order through the first two innings while Gausman continued to deal on the mound, striking out Tatis again to finish off the top half of the third inning. The Jays’ hurler had the Padres’ superstar chasing his splitter down and out of the zone to punch both K’s. Nathan Lukes got the Jays into the hit column with a single to the outfield in the bottom half of the frame, but nothing more would come from it.

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A one-out double from Manny Machado, which just missed George Springer’s glove in right field, had a runner in scoring position early in the fourth inning. Gausman escaped the jam easily, getting Merrill to fly out to left field before striking out Xander Bogaerts, his sixth strikeout on the day. In the bottom half of the inning, George Springer was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second base. With two outs already on the board, Alejandro Kirk stranded him on the base paths by grounding out to second to end the threat.

Anthony Santander almost put the Jays on the board with a ball that hit just below the top of the right field wall and instead settled for a hard-hit single. Addison Barger then followed with a deep fly ball that fell just in front of the centre field wall, a shot that would have plated two runs if he pulled the offering to right field. Ernie Clement grounded up the middle and beat out the double play attempt to keep the inning alive, and it led to Nathan Lukes smashing a hanging sweeper over the right field wall, a no-doubter travelling 373 feet to give Toronto an early lead 2-0 lead. A Bo Bichette single up the right field line got starter Randy Vasquez out of the game, but Guerrero grounded out to end the inning with Jeremiah Estrada on the mound.

“I think that he’s coming into his own as a player,” explained Schneider on Lukes. “I think having more intent with his swings… trying to take his best swing on pitches he knows he can handle. His career has been weird, and injuries have been a big part of it. He’s healthy, he’s confident, a mistake-breaking ball in the zone, that’s a big swing for us. It’s funny, his ball went out and Barger’s didn’t.”

With the lead, Gausman returned for the sixth inning with just 64 pitches under his belt and quickly took care of pinch hitter Elias Diaz and Tatis, but Arraez added to his hit total with a triple to the right field corner to bring Machado to the plate. The Padres ended up stranding the runner, with the slugger flying out to Springer in right field.

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The Jays rallied in the bottom of the seventh to put runners on first and second with zero outs against new reliever Adrian Morejon, thanks to a Barger single and an error by Machado on a routine ground ball. Lukes dropped a bunt down with two strikes against him to move the runners over, but Machado bobbled that one in front of home plate as well, a full ‘Elvis Andrus’ moment to load the bases for Bo Bichette. The Jays’ shortstop hit a sharp ground ball to the second baseman, and it seemed like a double play was in order until Jake Cronenworth bobbled the offering, with the Padres only recording the lone out at second base while Barger scored from third to make it 3-0.

With two errors already on the books (Cronenworth was not credited with an error), Guerrero stepped into the batter’s box and with an 0-2 count against him, muscled an inside slider and dunked it into centre field in front of Merrill, a single that plated Clement from third that ultimately ended Morejon’s night. Alek Jacob entered the game for the Padres with runners on first and second with just one out, and promptly struck out Varsho. Springer stepped up to the plate and drove a ball up the right side, and while Machado was able to snag the tough ball on his backhand, the throw pulled Arraez off first, and Bichette was able to round third and score, making it 5-0. Jacob walked Kirk to load the bases, and Schneider brought in Jonatan Clase for Santander, who left tonight’s game with left hip inflammation. The outfielder rewarded the manager by lacing a double through the gap in right centre field and plating two more runs. The bleeding would come to an end when Barger came up to the plate for a second time in the inning and flew out to centre field.

“To win a series against a really good team is huge,” said Gausman.

Gausman’s day was finished after the run support from the inning before, and Jose Urena came into the game to start the eighth inning. The Jays starter had one of his best outings of the season, generating 19 whiffs while striking out nine Padres and allowing just three hits while walking zero to the tune of a 69.6% strike rate.

The Jays weren’t done with the bats, as Clement led the inning off by taking a pitch off the elbow and Lukes continued his strong day by putting a single into right field, with Clement hustling to third to put runners on the corners. Bichette would tack on another run, dropping a line drive in front of Merrill for a single. Guerrero followed this by putting a ball up the middle, and the Padres infield made a fielder’s choice error at second base to load the bases. Varsho wanted to send the Jays crowd home with another home run to cheer about, sending a deep ball over the centre field wall for a grand slam, making it 12-0.

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This prompted the Padres to bring in position player Tyler Wade to get some reps in on the mound, and while he got Kirk to ground out to put one out on the board (we’ve entered bullet point territory):

  • Springer walked
  • A double by Barger scored another run
  • Clement singled to left field to make it 14-0, scoring another run
  • Lukes popped out to shortstop
  • Bichette grounded out to second base, and no error was committed by the Padres infield, ending the inning

Overall, it was the Jays’ biggest win of the season, run support-wise, with every starter getting on base, and only Kirk was the only starter to not register a hit (he walked twice). Lukes went 3 for 4 with a home run, Varsho went 1 for 5 with a grand slam, Bichette, Springer, and Barger joined Lukes in the multi-hit category day while four players registered two or more RBIs. The team finished with 14 hits total, five of which were for extra bases, and struck out just seven times.