Blue Jays 3 A’s 6
Jose Berrios didn’t have it today. Perhaps a combination of the 35 °C heat and the workload over the first half. He went just three innings, allowing five hits, four earned, two walks, and one strikeout. There were two home runs, one of which was a ballpark homer, it wouldn’t have gone out most parks.
Tommy Nance made a throwing error to start the fifth (after pitching a quick fourth) and came out of the game.
Justin Bruihl came in and gave up a home run to Nick Kurtz. A single and a strikeout ended his day.
Braydon Fisher became the third pitcher to throw in the fifth and got two quick outs.
Chris Bassitt threw a very quick sixth.
Brandon Little got through the seventh, allowing a hit plus an intentional walk.
Yariel Rodriguez gave up a single (with a Myles Straw error sending the runner to second) and a walk, but got out of the eighth.
On offense, we did nothing until the fifth, when Davis Schneider hit a drive over the foul pole in left. Ruled foul, John Schneider wasn’t happy with the call and tried to get to the umpire who made the call. The other umpires blocked his way (I didn’t understand that; generally, the manager is allowed to vent to the umpire who made the call). John was thrown out of the game (having to leave through the bullpen in the outfield).
Davis then hit an easily fair home run.
We got two more in the seventh. Vlad had a one-out single, and Addison Barger homered. Barger deserves an All-Star spot if a player pulls out.
But that was the end of the scoring.
We had just four hits: Bo, Vlad, Barger and Schneider (the last two hitting homers) and no walks.
No JoDs today.
Other Awards go to Berrios (-.219), and we could share one with the entire batting lineup.
So we enter the All-Star break (and will exit it) in first place. Life is good. We can enjoy being in first for (at least) the next week.
Friday, we start a series with the Giants visiting.