Blue Jays 5 Cardinals 2
After a couple of wild wins, it was nice to have a more relaxed game.
Eric Lauer was good in the starting role, not the bulk guy this time. He went 4.1 innings and gave up a run in the first on a single, a bad pickoff throw to first by Lauer, moving the runner to third, and a single. And a run in the second on a Yohel Pozo home run. In the fifth, he gave up a leadoff single and then got a ground out, moving the runner to second, and that was it with a right-hander due up.
He was at 72 pitches on a warm afternoon. He’s thrown as many as 85 pitches this year. I was ok with him coming out.
Braydon Fisher got the last two outs of the inning.
In the sixth, Spencer Turnbull made his Jays debut. It is fair to say we were a bit worried, as he was getting clubbed in Buffalo. And the first batter lined a double to left. But a fly out, ground out, and strikeout got him out of the inning. In the seventh, he gave up a one-out single but no runs. Nice job. He could have gone one more likely, but, first time out, let him come out happy.
Brendon Little pitched the eighth, getting a couple of strikeouts, then a walk and a single to bring the tying run to the plate. But another strikeout ended the inning. He threw more pitches than you’d like, 31.
Yariel Rodriguez got to be the closer. Three quick outs and Rodriguez got his first career save.
Offensively we scored:
- Two in the third: Tyler Heineman reached on what was initially called a double, but changed to an error. The ball went under the pitcher and the second baseman’s glove to get to center field. Heinman hustled to second on the play. Bo Bichette singled him home. Bo was erased on a ground-out force by Vladimir Guerrero. Alejandro Kirk singled him to third, and George Springer brought him home on a sac fly.
- Two in the fourth: Myles Straw reached on a bunt single (a very nice bunt single, if I were running, I would have been safe. Jonatan Clase walked. I hoped for a double steal, but Tyler Heineman bunted them to second and third. Bo hit a sac fly, and Vlad had an RBI single. Vlad also stole second, but Kirk struck out to end the inning.
- One in the fifth: Ernie Clement homered.
We had ten hits. Clement had 3. Vlad and Kirk had two (Kirk had nine hits in the three-game series). Davis Schneider, Clase (with a walk) and Heineman (with the sac bunt) had the 0 fors. Schneider is wearing thin on me, but he’s hitting .364 in four games since being called up, so ok.
Ernie Clement came out of the game in the ninth, after trying to make a diving grab on a ground ball in the bottom of the eighth.
Jays of the Day: Clement (.138 WPA) and Turnbull (.103).
Other Award: Schneider (-.102).
Tomorrow the Jays start a series in Philadelphia on Friday.
The Jays are 38-30. and 13-3 in the last five series.