Two Million Drunk Bostonians Are Getting Ready: Jays 4, Boston 3

by hugo on Sep 18, 2010 10:54 PM EDT in Toronto Blue Jays Game Recaps

Another tight one today, but once again the Jays came out on top.

On the Mound:

Ricky Romero battled against a tough lineup, getting through 6 innings and giving up 3 runs, 2 in his final inning. He struck out 4 and walked 3, but was most successful in inducing ground balls - 17 of them to be exact, and just two in the air. The Jays gave him a lead and he bent, but didn't break, holding Boston long enough.

At the Plate:

Jose Bautista got things going with his 49th home run of the season in the first inning. He has just been incredible and it's great seeing him finish so strong. This was no floater, Bautista launched it over the Monster and clear out of Fenway. Adam Lind was another big contributor on offense, with 2 doubles. Travis Snider, Lyle Overbay, and J-Mac had a couple of hits apiece, though neither of Mac's made it to the outfield and Snider lined out in one of his other at-bats. Fred Lewis was a big 0-5.

From the Pen:

Jason Frasor put two baserunners on in the 7th but David Purcey came in to strike out David Ortiz to end the inning. Purcey and Camp split the 8th and then it was up to Gregg to protect the 1-run lead in the 9th. Gregg got the job done, but it was by no means pretty.

Gregg got the first out when Marco Scutaro lined to short. Ryan Kalish then singled and, in a game-changing play, got picked off first. Victor Martinez made Kalish feel extra bad when he tripled into the gap, but Gregg managed to get Adrian Beltre to ground out to strand the tying run on third.

Jays of the Day:

Lind, Bautista, Camp, Purcey, and Romero. Gregg certainly has the numbers, but I can't give it to him.

Title: "The Ice of Boston" by the Dismemberment Plan, who just announced they are doing a short reunion tour to support the reissue of Emergency & I, one of my favourite all-time records.

Catch you all tomorrow, when the Jays chase the sweep behind Shaun Marcum. Jon Lester stands in the way, though.

Tweet Comment 14 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Scutaro lined out to Yunel

Not JMac

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Sep 18, 2010 11:00 PM EDT reply actions

yup

fixed

"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 Sep 18, 2010 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope we make a good effort tomorrow with our line up...

Ball.

by Casusby on Sep 18, 2010 11:18 PM EDT reply actions

Gregg got the save

in a 1 run game against a tough lineup. ugly or not, if he has the #, he should get a JOD

by upstate jay fan on Sep 18, 2010 11:21 PM EDT reply actions

it was the luckiest save you will ever see...

I don’t think he deserves a JoD, maybe the rabbit foot he carries does. Molina on the other hand…that pickoff at first was great, after a game that I was wondering if he could catch at ball at all. Mac scores that great run and then throws the ball away to cost us a run….

The good news is that we’ve ended any hope the Sox could fight their way back into the race.

by Tom Dakers on Sep 18, 2010 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions

The good news is that we’ve ended any hope the Sox could fight their way back into the race.

A nice way to spend the weekend, that…

by dexfarkin on Sep 19, 2010 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I guess i think Gregg gets criticized too much

He only has one more BS than Mariano this year. I know he rarely gives us stress-free saves, but I think he has had a good year.

by upstate jay fan on Sep 21, 2010 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

I totally agree

he has generally done a good job this season. That game, however, was not a good example of him doing a good job. And while he has generally been good, he does have a 4.11 xFIP – being that he’s a fly-ball pitcher in the AL East, it suggests at times he’s been more lucky than good.

"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 Sep 21, 2010 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions

the Jays entered the bottom of the 9th with over 75% win expectancy

and if you take the pickoff and 1/2 of the lineout away from Gregg, his WPA doesn’t merit a JotD. So it depends on what you mean by “if he has the #.”

Arguably it’s a close call, it is the Red Sox, and I’m not one to look behind outs in the 9th since, as my coach used to say, when you’re winning “any out in the final inning is a good out.” But the fact that it’s Boston doesn’t turn a bad, lucky performance into a good one.

"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 Sep 19, 2010 7:53 AM EDT up reply actions

No JoD for JMac?

With 2 hits and heads-up base-running to score the final Jays run in a 1-run game, JMac deserves a JoD mention. The AP report at Y!Sports made his run seem like the play of the game.

Did he lose it on the error that allowed Ortiz to score?

by PFHLai on Sep 19, 2010 1:55 AM EDT reply actions

right

the error was -.115 which wiped out all his positive WPA, even giving him full marks for his offensive contribution and for that play on the bases. too bad for Mac as it was a great base running play, but the Jays were already up by two so it wasn’t worth nearly as much as his error was in the negative direction. Maybe I should have explained that in the recap

"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 Sep 19, 2010 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions