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It's Easy as 1-2-3 - Game 34, Rays at Jays

Bluejayperched_tiny by hugo on in Game Threads

Tampa Bay @ Toronto


Wow. An exciting game last night, wasn't it? It looked exactly like one of the Jays' frustrating games of late April until Matty Stairs strode to the plate in the 7th and took a Javier Vasquez pitch deep to give the Jays a 1-0 lead they would never relinquish, though not for lack of trying. B.J. Ryan, only annointed that day as capable of going two consecutive games, walked the bases loaded with 1 out in the 9th, only to end the game in dramatic fashion on a comebacker he turned into the old 1-2-3 double play (hence the Jackson 5 reference in today's title). It was a little worrisome to see Ryan with such poor control of his slider, but hopefully it was just a one-time thing. Ironically, Ryan's walk to Konerko was the first walk issued by Jays' pitching since Friday. His walk to Dye was the second, and his walk to Swisher the 3rd.

Dustin McGowan was magnificent, going 7 1/3 innings and walking no one, surrendering just 4 hits and striking out 6. He extended the Jays incredible streak of effective pitching performances to 9. In other notable news, Shannon Stewart looked decent at the plate, and Sir John MacDonald was used as a defensive replacement.

Today, Little Rock's finest, A.J. Burnett, will face off against the Rays' Andy Sonanstine and looks to keep the Jays fabulous streak going. Burnett has been up and down and has showed little of his improvement in control from the second half of last season, striking out 26 and walking 20 over his 37 1/3 innings, en route to an ugly 1.61 Whip. He was great last time out (though he did add to that walk total by 5) so perhaps he can continue his effectiveness. Andy Sonanstine has been quite good for Tampa Bay, with a 21/8 K/BB ratio over 38 2/3 innings and a 1.16 Whip. He's certainly taken advantage of the Rays improved defense, surrendering only 37 hits in his 38 2/3 innings despite not having many strikeouts.

I'll be running after work today and won't be around to post the lineups, but I will be back for the game. If we win, we're back to .500, as quickly as we plunged from it. Let's go Jays!

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Strikes out Iwamura to start the first

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:11 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Crawford grounds out to x

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:12 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

And Upton strikes out looking

9 strikes, 3 balls for the inning.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:14 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Rios grounds out in front of the plate

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:18 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Stew grounds to third

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:18 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Rolen flies out to right

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:19 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Peña strikes out swinging

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:24 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Strikes out Longoria swinging

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:25 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Strikes out Hinske on a curveball

9 strikes, 5 balls that inning.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:28 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Stairs breaks up the no-hitter

with a single to right.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:31 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

VW grounds to second, but no chance for the double play

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:33 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

VW gets picked off first

Started then stopped, and then had no chance. If he’d kept going to second at least there would have been a chance of a bad throw. Possible hit and run

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:36 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Overbay follows up with a single to left

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:36 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Hill pops up behind second

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:37 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Lineout to left

can’t double up Navarro at second

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:45 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Wild pitch on a curveball

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:48 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Iwamura singles to right

1-0 Rays? Game over.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:49 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Crawford sac fly, Iwamura up to second

2-0? Double game over.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:50 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

And a single up the middle makes it 3-0

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:51 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Rance....spent time saying saying that Rios with a good throw would have got the runner at home.....

then complains that he didn’t hit the cut off man and the runner on first went to second….pick one to complain about will you.

by rincewind on May 6, 2008 7:54 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Well he strikes out Peñto end the inning

But it doesn’t help much now that the game is over.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:54 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Long single

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 7:57 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Pevey's a bit of a butcher out there

Probably should have kept him at first, but I don’t know if Whitt would be any better.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:00 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Boy that was a sad call....but we'll take the run....

Send Zaun with no one out….who does that?

by rincewind on May 6, 2008 8:00 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Rios strikes out quickly

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:01 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

1 for 2 with RISP

but hit too hard to score x, if we trust Pevey.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:03 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

hey all

just got back from my run, had to work late so got off to a late start. looks like the game has been action packed

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:08 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Stairs cannot be the superhero

this time.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:08 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Burnett gets Longoria to chase

for his 7th strikeout. Early pizza tonight.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:09 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Hinske with the broken bat double

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:10 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Navarro pops up to x

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

why did the dude steal third with two out?

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Burnett's curve has been bouncing

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:13 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I guess there's a decent chance A.J. throws it away, but still

not worth the risk of getting caught

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:13 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Well if they weren't holding him at all

then there wasn’t much risk at all.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:14 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Hinske steals third

...

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:13 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Aj gets his 8th strikeout

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:15 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Wells with a leadoff triple

certainly helped by a poor throw by Iwamura

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:17 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

what a horrid relay throw

credit to VW for thinking 3 the whole way

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:18 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

If you saw the bounce it took

it dropped straight to the ground after hitting the scoreboard

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:20 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I saw it of course

but was talking about Iwamura’s relay throw

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:43 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Hey, it's RISP time!

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:18 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Sac fly leaves us at 1 for 2

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:20 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Johnny Mac is in

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:24 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

And he almost gets to one up the middle

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:24 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

They are really holding Bartlett

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:27 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Bartlett scores on the double

Iwamura thrown out at third

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:28 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Upton singles to right

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:29 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Upton steals second and up to third on the missed throw

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:30 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Peña strikes out swinging again

But do we have 2 more runs in us today to capture the win?

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:33 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Assuming 2 is enough

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:33 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Johnny Mac manages a leadoff single

but Rios strikes out

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:36 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Stew almost beats out the throw on a dribbler to short

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:37 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

RISP time for Rolen

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:38 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Rolen walks

Stairs gets a chance to be clutch.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:39 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Stairs grounds out

1 for 3

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:42 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

thought Stairs

was going to come through there

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:44 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Longoria pops up foul

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:45 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

glad we traded him for nothing

and still get to pay him

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:47 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

We're not paying him anymore

and the Sox gave us cash for him, didn’t they?

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:48 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

no I don't think that's right

if they did, it was just to pay a small portion of his salary

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 8:56 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

We paid half his salary for the year after the trade

The Sox picked up the remainder of his salary for that year.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:58 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

right

it was a stupid trade

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 9:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Well it's not like he was good until this year

and he was a free agent this time.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 9:08 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I guess, but who knows if he had gotten decently regular playing time

we have had a lot of starts at 1st, third, and the corner spots over the past 2 years by some pretty terrible players

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 9:09 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Which injury in particular would Hinske have filled in for?

Unless he could have caught instead of Jason Philips or Sal Fasano. Stairs played first when Overbay was hurt; Rios was back from his Staph infection before we sent Hinske away; and Lind hit 11 homers filling in for Sparky.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 9:13 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

well

not including this season, we had a lot of starts at 3rd by Jason Smith and J-Mac when Glaus was out last year, and that wasn’t too fun. Phillips and Curtis Thigpen also played some first, and Lind wasn’t exactly lighting it up in the OF. He hit some homers, but was terrible at getting on base.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 9:16 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

and it would have been very nice

to have a decent lefty bat off the bench last season, since Stairs ended up mostly playing every day and we were unbelievably bad against righties

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 9:18 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

And you wish we'd had Hinske's .205 OBP in May?

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 9:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

your favourite fallacy

deployed seamlessly

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 9:20 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Do we want to take his season stats instead?

And do you think he would have been more successful in this lineup?

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 9:21 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I know he didn't play well last season

and I’m not saying he would’ve gotten us into the playoffs, but that doesn’t make it a good deal at the time. We OPSed .715 last season against right handed pitching. Maybe we could’ve used a guy whose career OPS against righties is.810, instead of giving him away for nothing and paying half his salary. But hey, he didn’t hit, so I must be wrong.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 6, 2008 9:27 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Ugh... Hinske crushes a homer to center

I think that’s definitely game over.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 6, 2008 8:47 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs