That was a great game for Brandon Morrow. 6.2 shutout innings, 5 hits, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk and 1 hit batter. Brandon has been pitching well on the road and poor at home but that game seemed like a bit of a turn around for Morrow. Or maybe I'm just hopeful.
Jason Frasor got the last out of the 7th inning after Morrow loaded the bases on a single, hit batter and walk, mixed around 2 strikeouts. Then Jon Rauch pitched the last 2 innings, giving up a couple of singles in the 9th to keep us interested. One of the hits was on a play Yunel Escobar should have made and then a nice bunt single, so he can't be blamed for them.
On offense, we did enough. Jose Molina had a double off the wall, a homer and a walk. Jose Bautista had 2 singles and a RBI. Jayson Nix drove in a run with a sac fly that should would have been a hit if not for a great play by Reds LFer Chris Heisey. Everyone in the starting line up had a hit except Hill and Nix.
Jays of the Day are Morrow (.205 WPA, I'm ignoring his -.091 batting number), Molina (.193) and Bautista (.107). No Jay had Suckage numbers.
The Jays were helped out by a couple of errors around first base, Joey Votto made a throwing error to the pitcher covering and pitcher Edinson Volquez threw a Corey Patterson bunt attempt wide of first. It turned into an interesting play, Escobar scored from 2nd, but Patterson was thrown out going to 3rd. He pulled up because Volquez' throw bounced behind the rolled up tarp along the right field stands and the Reds RFer Jay Bruce threw up his hands to signal it was out of play. When it came out from behind the tarp, Bruce picked up the ball and threw to 3rd to get Patterson. Corey, I'm sure knows better, only the umpires can call a ball out of play. If he wasn't going to run to 3rd he should have stayed at 2nd, but everyone is allowed a mistake. And Corey hit a double later in the game, his 2nd extra base hit of the month, and scored.
Tomorrow at 1:00 Eastern, Carlos Villanueva (4-0, 3.25) goes for the sweep. Bronson Arroyo (5-6, 5.23) gets the start for the Reds. Arroyo is 2-5 with a 6.38 ERA career against the Jays. But then we give Farrell grief for believing in small samples.