Blue Jays 5 Yankees 3
Two of my favorite things, together in one game. I love watching the Jays with, I love watching the Yankees lose. Getting to watch both at the same time? It makes Tom a happy boy.
Recap after the jump.
Jose Bautista isn't just the best player in baseball at the moment, he is also the luckiest. He hits a 2 run home in the 3rd inning and he gets caught off base again and, once again, the pitcher throws the ball into the outfield. Two games in a row that happens. What are the odds. It is like they don't want to put him out. So instead of being the 3rd out, Rajai Davis score on the play then Jose scored from second on Juan Rivera's single. I was sure Bautista was going to be out at the plate but he made the nicest slide, around catcher Russell Martin, that you are ever going to see.
We got a fair bit of offense, 9 hits and 7 (!) walks on the day. Bautista gets his 9th home, a single and 2 walks. J.P. Arencibia hit his 4th home. In reality, we really should have scored more runs. Every starter got on base, at least once, except for John McDonald.
David Cooper was 0 for 4 in his major league debut but he did take a walk and he hit the ball hard a couple of times.
Ricky Romero had a great start, 6 innings, 5 hits, 2 earned, 3 walks and 7 strikeouts. He was helped by a couple of very nice plays by Yunel Escobar, that helped dig Edwin Encarnacion out of a hole when he made an error in the 5th that loaded the bases.
The bullpen was up and down. Casey Janssen pitched a scoreless inning, with 2 strikeouts around 2 walks. Shawn Camp had some trouble in the 8th, giving up 2 hits while getting just 1 out. John Farrell brought in Octavio Dotel, he walked 2, getting 1 strikeout. So Jon Rauch came in with the bases loaded, looking for a 4 out save. He got a ground out on the first pitch to end the 8th, then 3 quick outs in the 9th to get his 5th save.
I really didn't like pulling Camp for Dotel with two guys on. Camp's strength is getting ground balls. With any luck he would have got a double play ball. But it all worked out so I won't complain for too long. Dotel didn't pitch all that badly, the strike zone was very inconsistent tonight, I thought he got robbed on some of calls.
Jays of the Day are Bautista (again, it is getting monotonous..320 WPA), Rauch (.274), Romero (.171) and Arencibia (.098). Players with Suckage numbers are McDonald (-.131) but he turned a very nice DP in the 5th so I can't give it to him and Camp (-.094).
Scariest moment of the game? Mark Teixeira lined one straight at Ricky Romero's head. I'm not sure how Ricky got his glove up quick enough, but he made the catch just before the ball separated his head from his shoulders. I don't know how he could pitch after that, I'd have been shaking way too much.
Most of the Yankee's offense came from 2 solo homers by Robinson Cano.
Tomorrow at 4:00 Eastern Kyle Drabek pitches starts for us, A.J. Burnett (3-0, 4.37). I'd sure love to see him get his first loss of the year tomorrow.