A tough loss. I always find these ones harder than the laughers like last night. At least in that one you know the score early. Today it really seemed like the Jays where going to get it done until late.
If you’re looking for silver linings, Bowden Francis showed some improvement until he abruptly didn’t, and the bullpen did pretty well. The offence is right back to sleep after their hot stretch, though.
The Jays went quietly in the first. In the second, Ernie Clement lofted a ball off the right field wall just past Nick Castellanos’ outstretched glove for a one out double. Myles Straw lined a single to left to score him, staking Toronto to an early 1-0 lead.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. managed a ground ball single in the third, but they were unable to capitalize. Clement added his second hit of the afternoon in the fourth, but was also left on.
Meanwhile, Bowden Francis got off to his best start in a while. He retired the first eight Phillies batters, picking up a trio of strikeouts. Brandon Marsh reached on a line single with two out in the third, but Francis got a ground out to strand him. The wheels came off in the fourth. With two outs, Francis went walk, walk, hit batter, walk, hit batter to force in two runs. He got the hook at that point in favour of Brendon Little. Little bounced a breaking ball, which skipped a few feet away from Tyler Heineman. The Jays catcher was able to pick the ball and dive back to the plate just in time to tag J.T. Realmuto coming home for the third out to keep the score at 2-1.
The Jays struck back in the fifth. Heineman was hit in the ankle by a pitch, Bichette reached on a fielder’s choice (called a double play on the field but narrowly overturned), and Vlad doubled to bring him home and tie it at two. Little returned to get the first two outs in the bottom half, giving up a single that advanced to third on a missed pickoff throw by Vlad and a fly out. Yariel Rodriguez took over and gave up a line drive that Davis Schneider was able to snag at second to end the inning.
Nothing much happened over the next couple of innings. The Jays went quietly on eight pitches in the sixth. Rodriguez issued a walk and gave up a line single, but escaped the jam. Sanchez got one more inning in the seventh, retiring the Jays in order. Braydon Fisher worked around a walk to preserve the tie in the bottom half. Orion Kerkering shut the Jays down once again in the top of the eighth.
Finally, in the bottom of eight, Max Kepler took Chad Green out to right field. That put Philly up 3-2, a lead which would hold. The Jays couldn’t touch Matt Strahm in the top of the ninth and that was that.
Jays of the Day: Rodriguez (0.128), Guerrero (0.119)
Not so much: Francis (-0.121), Green (-0.231), Bichette (-0.125), Kirk (-0.103), Springer (-0.153), Schneider (-0.118)
The series wraps up tomorrow. Jose Berrios (2-2, 3.38) will take the mound and try to finally give they Jays a good start in this series. He’ll have to, as the offence faces Zack Wheeler (6-2, 2.85). First pitch is set for 1:35pm ET.