Padres 0 Blue Jays 14
We have been wanting a blowout win, and here it is. Maybe we could do this more often.
For the second game in a row, we got a great start from our starting pitcher. Kevin Gausman threw seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits, no walks and nine strikeouts. Just great work. One of those three hits should have been an out. A fly ball to the wall that George Springer misplayed.
We scored several runs. The Padres infield helped us out, but 14 runs is nothing to complain about.
We scored two in the fifth, on a Nathan Lukes home run. Lukes had a good day.
And five in the seventh. Addison Barger started it off with a single. Ernie ground one to Manny Machado, but he messed up the play to second, an error, giving us runners on the first and second. John had Luke’s bunt (I hated that), but with two strikes, Lukes put one down just in front of the plate. Machado booted it (while blowing a bubble with his gum). That loaded the bases.
Bo Bichette grounded one to second. Jake Cronenworth should have picked it and gone home. But he booted it. He did get the out at second, so no official error, but we got a run. Vlad floated a single to center and got an RBI. An out later, George Springer grounded one to Machado at third, and his throw was wide of first. They called it a single and an error, bringing home a run.
After that, Alejandro Krik walked. Anthony Santander was up next, but he left the game with hip inflammation. Jonatan Clase pinch hit and lined a double to the wall, making it 7-0. I was very happy for him. We love to judge on a couple of dozen at-bats, but he’s not a bad player.
And we got seven more in the eighth. Clement (hit by pitch), Lukes singled and Bo singled (8-0), Vlad reached on a fielder’s choice (plus the Padres’ fourth error), loading the bases. And Daulton Varsho unloaded them, with a grand slam (12-0). Springer doubled, which brought in a non-pitcher to pitch. Clase walked, Barget doubled (13-0), and Clement singled (14-0).
The Jays had 14 hits, with two home runs. Lukes had three. Bo, George, and Addison had two. Kirk had an 0 for but took two walks.
José Ureña, with the pressure off, pitched the last two innings.
Jays of the Day: Gausman (.405), and Lukes (.306 for his 3 for 4, 2 RBI).
No one gets the other award. Barger had the low mark at -.054, but he made some nice plays at third base.
Tomorrow, we aim to sweep with Bowden Francis (2-6, 5.63) vs. Stephan Kolek (2-1, 2.33). It is an afternoon game at 1:00 Eastern.