Tough end to that one. After using Downs, Camp, and Gregg this afternoon and yesterday, our pen was down its best arms. Jesse Litsch pitched well but can't get us deep into games yet. Brian Tallet relieved him in the 6th with runners on the corners and 1 out and a 3 run lead. Tallet gave up a sac fly but that was all. He pitched a perfect 7th. I likely would have pulled him there. But without some of our best arms, Cito decided to keep him in. To start the 8th he gave up a single and hit a batter, before getting a popup. Jason Frasor came in. Tallet really did all you could have expected of him
Frasor has been good of late but not today. He did pitch 1.1 yesterday, so maybe he was a bit tired. He gave up a Miguel Cabrera double (can't complain, Cabrera is amazing), an intentional walk, and another double and we are down by two. A caught stealling and strikeout got us out of the inning. DeWayne Wise lead off the top of the 9th with a homer but that's all we got.
We had 13 hits, so really should have scored more. 3 hits for Wise. 2 each for Bautista and Buck. All our other starters had one. Jose Bautista got his 27th home run. Johnny Mac even drove in a run.
Jays of the Day or really of the second game of the day are Wise (.172 WPA), Litsch (.152) and Bautista (.125). Honorable mention to Tallet, who did all that should have been asked of him. Suckage goes to Frasor (-.662) Escobar (-.128) and Lind (-.103).
I don't know why Cito wouldn't use Purcey or Janssen. I guess he wanted to save them in case of extras but you have to get there first.
I should mention too that we got totally robbed on a call at the plate. John Buck, with two strikes, tipped a pitch. The catcher clearly didn't catch it, but the plate umpire thought he did, but did consult the second base umpire, who apparently wasn't watching at all because he called it a catch. Cito wasn't pleased.
Then in the Tigers half of the inning Johnny Damon hit a ball to right and tried to get to second. Bautista, as we all know, has a heck of an arm and it looked to me like Escabar got him with the tag, but the umpire called him safe. Cito was still not pleased.
Anyway it was a pretty good road trip all in all. The Jays are back in Toronto tomorrow to start a series against the Orioles.