It is easier on the fans when we win by a few runs, but a win is a win.
Nice bounce back start for Brett Cecil. 6.1 innings, 7 hits, 1 walk, 4 K and 2 earned. Boy he throws a nice change up when he needs one. I guess a case could be made that he was facing a poor team but then they are major leaguers. He only had one 3 up, 3 down inning but he only gave up one extra base hit (a double) and was able to get the ground balls when he need them. He game out of the game in the 7th with runners on the corners and one out but the he wasn't being hit hard.
Shawn Camp came in and gave up a single that made it a one run game but then got a strikeout and a pop out to hold the lead. Scott Downs pitched around a 1 out single in the 8, but he did use the entire park, giving out long fly balls to left and right. Kevin Gregg came in the 9th for the save. He got a drowsy Ken Griffey to pop out and Ichiro to fly out to right. Then a single and a walk to keep our interest, before a fly out deep to Fred Lewis (speed in the outfield is a good thing).
We didn't get much offense. Just 5 hits, 3 of them doubles. Lyle Overbay was 2 for 4 with a double, bringing his average to .199. Jose Bautista hit a double to lead off the 3rd that hit high off the left field wall, two more and it would have been out of there. A single from John Buck and a sac fly scored him.
In the 4th, Adam Lind doubled, Overbay singled. Alex Gonzalez singled to drive home Lind. Bautista walked to load the bases, then John Buck was hit by a pitch to get a painful RBI. That was all our offense for the game.
We got some good defense too. Lewis and Bautista each made nice catches in the outfield. Edwin Encarnacion made a couple of nice plays at third. And Lyle game a lead saving stop on a snap throw Buck made to first, trying to pick off a baserunner.
Jays of the Day: Gregg (.180 WPA), Downs (.131), Cecil (.129) and Buck (.106). I think Overbay deserves an honorable mention for the 2 hits and the play on the pickoff throw. Suckage? Edwin Encarnacion had the numbers (-.112) though he did make a couple of good plays in the field.
Tomorrow we have a day game from Seattle, 3:40 Eastern time. Ricky Romero (4-1, 2.88) goes up against Jason Vargas (3-2, 2.93).