Padres 0 Blue Jays 3
I’m really happy to get this win. I thought we would have a tough time against Dylan Cease (and we did), so getting this win was big. And winning with home runs from Vlad and Santander makes it a little sweeter.
That was one of those games where neither team could get much offence going.
The Jays scored three runs, all on home runs. Vlad had a solo homer in the first inning, and Anthony Santander hit a two-run shot in the fifth. The Jays only had three hits, but then two were home runs.
And the Jays’ pitching was excellent. Chris Bassitt went six shutout innings, allowing just four hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. He lowered his ERA to 2.83.
Brendon Little pitched the seventh, giving up a hit, but getting a strikeout and a double play.
Yariel Rodríguez got three quick outs in the eighth. He’s moved up the bullpen depth chart this season.
Jeff Hoffman, who hasn’t given us reason to trust him, had a nice ninth, getting his tenth save of the season.
This might be the shortest recap of the season. There wasn’t much more to talk about—no great defensive plays to talk about.
We could have scored more. After Santander’s home run, Addison Barger singled and stole second. John had Ernie Clement bunt him to third (nice bunt, Ernie), but up by three, playing for one run seems silly to me. A three-run lead or a four-run lead isn’t all that much different. I’d rather go for the knockout blow. Nathan Lukes lined one right at the third baseman, and he touched third for the double play to end the inning. Bad luck, but don’t play for one run once we are ahead like that.
Jays of the Day: Bassitt (.329 WPA) and Santander (.129). Let’s give Vlad and the bullpen an honourary mention.
No one gets the Other Award. Lukes had the low mark at -.054, much of that for the unlucky double play ball.
Tomorrow we have game two of the series. Randy Vásquez (3-3, 3.45) vs. Kevin Gausman (3-4, 4.59).