Happy Canada Day, Eh!
It is Canada Day, and since everything is closed today, there really isn't anything to do in Toronto this afternoon except to head down to the Rogers Centre to watch the Toronto Blue Jays try to get three victories out of their current four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Yes, I know there is some sort of important football match going on at the same time, but what's more patriotically Canadian--watching a bunch of Europeans playing an European game or a bunch of mostly-Americans (with two Canadians) playing an American game?
The game today starts at 3:07 pm, rather than the usual 1:07 pm for a Sunday game, because the team is throwing a big street party outside the ballpark before the game. The two extra hours before the game lets everyone stop by a Pride event before the game (even though the actual parade does not start until 2). And, when the game ends around 6, it would give folks just enough time to have a leisurely dinner and have a few Canadian draughts before strolling down to watch the fireworks. A Blue Jays win (and good weather) would make today just perfect.
A surging Blue Jays offense will be facing pretty boy and former Lone Star Ball commenter C.J. Wilson in this mid-afternoon tilt. Wilson has largely continued his quality work after signing with the Angels this season. He is on a personal 5-game winning streak, and the last time the Angels lost a C.J. Wilson start was back on May 17. However, in his last two starts, he gave up a total or 16 hits on 3 walks, and walked 5 the start before that. He threw a 8 innings against the Blue Jays back on May 5, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits en route to his 4th win of the season. Jose Bautista (on a single) and Adam Lind (on a solo homer) were only ones to score on him that night.
The crowd will be hoping that Jays starter Aaron Laffey will pitch like the way he did against the Red Sox last Tuesday. Laffey had a surprisingly good start then, spinning 6 scoreless innings while only giving up 3 hits and recording 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Unfortunately the bullpen gave up a bunch of runs after his departure and the offense only got 1 off the Bosox. Here's hoping that the offense continues on its roll and tacks on a few crooked numbers on the scoreboard.
Title comes from a song name by Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle. Lineups after the jump.
Lineups
Angels: Trout CF, Hunter RF, Pujols 1B, Trumbo LF, Morales DH, Kendrick 2B, Callaspo 3B, Aybar SS, Hester C.
Blue Jays: Lawrie 3B, Rasmus CF, Bautista DH, Encarnacion 1B, Escobar SS, Francisco LF, Davis RF, Arencibia C, Vizquel 2B.
Rules are simple: no pictures in the GameThread until the end of the game, no asking for, or linking to, illegal streams of the game, no being a horrible person.