Jays 6 Rangers 3
I know I'm over tired and likely punchy and all but I'm pretty sure I saw Casey Janssen miss several bats. I'm almost sure he struck out 6 in 5.1 innings. He gave up 6 hits, a couple of the seeing eye infield type, 2 walks, 3 runs, 2 earned. His line would have looked a lot better if it wasn't for a very freaky 6th inning. A 5 pitch walk started things. Then a line single. But then Casey got an easy ground ball to Aaron Hill, it might have been a double play ball but for sure it would have been an out, but Aaron booted it. Bases loaded, none out. Marlon Byrd hit a slow grounder just to the right spot that scored a run.
Then there was an interesting play. Janssen struck out Chris Davis but third strike got away and all the runners moved up. Now with bases loaded and less than two out the batter can't go to first on that play. Why? Well, if the runner could go to first then every third strike the catcher would drop the ball, pick it up and step on the plate for the force, then a quick throw to 3rd and you'd have an easy double play.
4-2, runners on 2nd and 3rd, one out. Frasor in for Janssen. Hard hit ground single right through Hill scores the runner at 3rd. Was hit too hard to hope that Aaron would make the play. 4-3 and runners on the corners, still one out. Here we got a break, Elvis Andrus tried to get down a suicide squeeze bunt. He missed. Rod Barras chased the runner all the way back to 3rd (I don't know why he didn't throw to Rolen) and made a diving attempt at a tag and the umpire gave him it. Did he get the tag on him? I don't know but we'll take the out. Andrus flied out to end the inning. That squeeze was the play of the game. But not a bad call, it just didn't work. From there Frasor pitched another good inning, League got 2 outs and Downs got a 4 out save.
Offensively it was the Adam Lind show. In each of the 3nd and 4th inning Vernon Wells led off with a walk and Lind pounded out a homer. They were all the runs we needed but we got 2 more in the top of the ninth when the Jays loaded the bases with a Rolen double, Overbay walk and Kevin Millar single (very clutch, after I was ragging on him all game). A Marco Scutaro single scored one and a Hill sac fly scored another. Rios walked to load the bases. Vernon hit a 2 strike line drive but at the right fielder.
A good offensive effort, as well as Lind's 2 homers, Scoot and Rolen had 3 hits each. Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit except Wells, who walked twice and reached on an error and Barajas. Jays of the Day are Lind (.215 WPA), Frasor (.200) and Downs (.115). Honorable mention to League, Scutaro and Wells, who made a couple of nice catches, one to end the game, thank goodness. No Suckage Jays, Barajas came closest at -.084 but he did make that important tag.
Tomorrow we have Brian Tallet (3-3, 4.54) going against Doug Mathis, a right hander, making his first start of the season for the Rangers. He was 1-2, 6.85 last season with the Rangers but was 4-2. 2.89 in the PCL so far this year. Should be interesting.
In other news, Lyle Overbay was awarded the AL Player of the Week. Nice to see, since he hit .533 with 2 homers during the week. He isn't hitting .302, leads the Jays in slugging at .583 and on-base at .404. Maybe we could move him up some in the lineup.
We had a lively if somewhat grumpy game thread today. I'm not sure why folks were in a bad mood. Well I know why I was in a bad mood, family member needing a organ transplant in a hurry does that to me. But for some reason the thread was a little nastier than I'd like it. So I'll remind folks a few things. Mostly, remember it is a community, we are trying to get along. Act like you are in our living room, if you wouldn't say it there don't say it here. Also let's watch the language a little more, most of it we'll generally let slide but keep it to a minimum.
Great win, best showing by Janssen this season, that's the pitcher I hoped he'd be. And good job by the offense. Would like it to be the start of a road winning streak. Tomorrow is the start of the MLB Draft so we'll likely look at the Jays picked and we'll have a debate up that Hugo and I had as much as my mom told me never argue with a lawyer....or for that matter anyone smarter than me. Of course, it is rough to find people that aren't smarter than me.