Guardians 5 Blue Jays 3
It was great to see Bo Bichette get his first homer of the season, leading off the game. Maybe he can make a regular thing of it? Bo had an interesting day. He took his sixth walk of the season. He also reached base on a dropped third strike but was picked off first base soon after.
We’d score another run in the third. Anthony Santander started the inning with a double. George Springer singled him to third. An out later, Addison Barger walked to load the bases. And Nathan Lukes walked to bring in the run. But a Tyler Heinemann strikeout and Andrés Giménez popped out.
Our third run scored in the fifth. Ernie Clement hit a pinch-hit double. Myles Straw also pinch-hit and hit a fly to the center to allow Clement to take third. And Tyler Heineman hit a sac fly to center, just deep enough to score Clement.
We should have scored more. Cleveland starter Gavin Williams gave up seven hits and five walks in just four innings. That should have added up to more than his two earned. Williams struck out nine Jays.
We had eight hits and five walks.. Santander and Springer had two each. The only Jays starters not to reach base were Daulton Varsho and Tyler Heinemann (who drove in a run),
Kevin Gausman put to rest all the worry that came out of him throwing 50+ pitches in an inning in his last start. He went six innings, allowing one hit and one walk with nine strikeouts. He was as good as we’ve seen him in any start as a Blue Jays. Just unhittable.
Mason Fluharty pitched a quick seventh, with a strikeout. He’s been terrific since being called up.
Chad Green gave up a leadoff homer in the eighth, but struck out the side afterward.
Yimi Garcia, who hadn’t given up a run this season, gave up a hit, a pair of walks, and a two-out grand slam by Daniel Schneemann. He had two strikeouts. Yimi’s been used a lot lately, but they had to go with him tonight, with Jeff Hoffman throwing many pitches yesterday. I hope he can get a couple of days off now. He threw 32 pitches.
I wanted to comment on Vlad’s play here:
What a play by Vladdy to get the out at first pic.twitter.com/mzhMAqgKLI
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 3, 2025
It was a rather spectacular play by Vlad. But if he let it go past, and went to first, Andres Gimenez had an easy play. Vlad did make a great throw to Gausman, but Gausman’s foot seemed to slide across the bag. Thankfully, Gausman was fine.
Maybe Vlad didn’t realize that Gimenez would have had an easy play, but he likely should have.
Vlad made a nice play in the seventh, picking up a grounder a fair distance from first, and then beating Carlos Santana to the bag.
Jays of the Day: Gausman (.312 WPA), Lukes (.108) and Springer (.097).
Other Award: Garcia (-848), Varsho (-.149) and Heineman (-.095).
Tomorrow we have Tanner Bibee (2-2, 4.36) vs. Bowden Francis (2-3, 4.40).