Blue Jays 5 Twins 4
George Springer hit a two-run homer in the eighth to save what had the look of one of those games where we couldn’t score enough. In the eighth, Addison Barger led off with a double and then George hit one that just cleared the wall in left.
I thought we wasted what could have been our last shot in the seventh. Andrés Giménez and Tyler Heineman hit singles with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero coming up. But Bo struck out, and Vlad hit a soft grounder to second.
We got a run in the first, Vlad singled, went to second when Springer walked and Nathan Lukes singled him home.
And one more in the second on a Heineman home run (he had a great day).
We got an insurance run in the ninth. Heineman singled, went to second on Bo’s ground out and scored on Vlad’s single.
We did very little with the bats between the second and the seventh.
The Jays had ten hits on the day. Heineman three, Vlad and Lukes two. Bo (0 for 5, k), Ernie Clement (0 for 4), and Jonatan Clase (0 for 4, 3 k) were the only starters not to get a hit.
Kevin Gausman gave up just four hits and three walks in six innings, but the Twins scored three runs. They got a couple of runs in the fourth. With one out, Gausman gave up a pair of singles, then a walk to load the bases. And a hit batter to score one. Another walk scored the Twins’ second run. Gausman just seemed to lose the thread there for a bit.
Kevin disagreed with plate umpire Chad Whitson on a ball four in that fourth inning. He came close to being tossed, but Heineman and Schneider got between them quickly (umpires should have a thicker skin). Thankfully, the inning ended on a 5-2-3 double play. Nice job by Clement and Heineman on the throws (I don’t know that they couldn’t have gotten the 5-4-3 double play, but Clement was in at third and made a perfect throw home.
Chad Green had a tough seventh inning, loading the bases on two singles and a walk, but got out of it without a run scoring.
Braydon Fisher, who has moved up the bullpen ladder, pitched the eighth, getting a strikeout and two groundouts.
Jeff Hoffman (why is it never easy with him) gave up a leadoff home run to Kody Clemens to make it a one-run game (thank you, Vlad, for bringing that run home). He got Willi Castro to strike out on a pitch in the dirt. A couple of flyouts ended the game.
Jays of the Day: Springer (.345 WPA), Fisher (.138), Heineman (.161, 3 for 4), and Lukes (.131).
Other Award: Bo (-.148), Clase (-.125), Clement (-.106) and Gausman (-.106).
I like watching Andrés Giménez and Bo Bichette turn double plays. They are smooth.
Tomorrow is game three of this series. Bowden Francis (2-7, 5.84) vs. Joe Ryan (6-2, 291) are the starters. Let’s have a better outing, Bowden.