Blue Jays 8 Angels 5
When, in the first inning, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero and Anthony Santander all singled to load the bases, with no outs and then George Springer, Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk all struck out, we thought we were in for another one of those games.
Then, the Angels scored two in the bottom of the inning on a Taylor Ward home run. We were sure it was going to be another terrible night.
In the second inning, Jo Adell hit another home run. And the Angels scored again on two singles and a Bo Bichette error. Bo came in on a bouncing ball and had it bounce off his glove. It was going to be a close play, with the transfer (if he did catch it), but still, it was a play he should have made. We were down 4-0, and it looked like it would be a runaway.
We did get a couple of runs in the third. Vlad ledV off with a single. He moved up on a wild pitch. After a Santander strikeout, George Springer walked, then Daulton Varsho doubled home Vlad and gave us a run and runners on second and third. Springer scored on a Kirk groundout. 4-2.
And one more in the fifth. Springer started it with a walk, and Varsho singled him to third. Kirk lined one hard, but right at the first baseman, for an easy double play. But Addison Barger singled 4-3.
Then we got four in the sixth. Nathan Lukes singled, Bo walked, and Vlad singled to load the bases with no one out. We remembered the first inning. But Santander singled in one. Springer walked, loading the bases again. Varsho hit a sac fly, putting the Jays up 5-4. Barger grounded one to first, Nolan Schanuel threw home, getting Santander, but the throw to first hit Barger, so he was safe, and Springer came and beat the throw. Clement singled to load the bases again, but Lukes struck out to end the inning. We were up 7-4.
Clement made a terrific play at second in the bottom of the sixth. Grounder bounced over Bassitt’s head, it went off his glove, but Clement made a great bare-handed grab and threw, sort of underhand or sidearmed to first to, just, get the runner.
After the first inning, Bassitt was terrific. He went six innings, allowing 8 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned, with a walk and 6 strikeouts. John left him out to start the seventh, but he gave up two singles, ending his night.
Yariel Rodríguez came in. He got Ward to strike out, but Jorge Soler popped on us just out of the reach of Clement, Varsho and Santander, which loaded the bases. A sac fly made the game 7-5, but Yariel got Yoán Moncada to strike out. 7-5.
More runs would be nice. And Varsho agreed, hitting a home run in the top of the eighth. 8-5.
Yariel pitched the eighth too, and was terrific. If he can do a couple of high-leverage innings, now and then, he will be very valuable. He had five strikeouts out of six outs. I thought they should send him out for the ninth (and get an old-fashioned three-inning save), but they went with Chad Green for the save. He got two strikeouts and a fly to fairly deep center—great job for his first save of the season.
The Jays got 14 hits! Vlad, Varsho and Clement had three each. Santander had two. The only Jays not to hit were Springer (three walks) and Kirk (one walk and one RBI). Varsho had three RBI. Vlad two. We also had 11 strikeouts.
Jays of the Day: Varsho (.250), Vlad (.221), Rodriguez (.175), Santander (.160) and Barger (.096).
The Other Award: Kirk (-.270 or an 0 for 4, RBI, K, he did leave a lot of batters on base) and Bassitt (-.233, for the 4 earned in 6 innings, but after the first two innings he was very good).
Tomorrow, the Jays are in Seattle for a series with the Mariners. I read today that far fewer Jays fans are making the trip this year, and I don’t blame them. I’ve seen the Jays in Seattle a few times, but I won’t be for the next four years.
Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.83) vs. Luis Castillo (3-2, 3.29). It is another late start, 9:40 Eastern.