One Bad Inning Again, Blue Jays Lose To White Sox

White Sox 3 Blue Jays 2

One bad inning cost Henderson Alvarez, and the Jays, the game. Alvarez pitched 6 scoreless innings but the 3 runs he allowed in the 5th cost him a L. 4 singles, and a throwing error, allowed 3 runs to score, that inning, and our offense can't be expected to score more than 2 runs in a game, the way it is at the moment. In the other 6 innings he allowed 3 singles, no walks, no runs with 2 k. Insert Titanic joke here.

We had enough chances on offense. 10 hits and 2 walks really should have added up to more than 2 runs. We had 3 hits in the 1st but just 1 run. Rajai Davis doubled, and stole 3rd, to lead off the 3rd inning, we scored him but that was all. In the 5th we had a single, a sac bunt, another single, a steal and a walk, but Edwin Encarnacion's hard line drive down the third base line found Ugly's glove and he doubled off Rajai at 2nd. In the 7th we had a double and a walk but didn't score. In the 8th it was a lead off double that did score (more on that in a moment). And the 9th, Colby Rasmus' 1 out single didn't lead to a run.

In the 8, David Cooper lead off with a double, Gose came in to pinch run. Yunel Escobar lined out to right. If Gose had been paying attention he could have tagged and moved to 3rd but he didn't. Moises Sierra lined out to second. Then Farrell had Yan Gomes pinch hit for Kelly Johnson against the lefty. Now honestly, I'd rather Johnson against the lefty than Gomes but ok. Then the White Sox brought in a RHP. I figured Rasmus would pinch hit, but he didn't. I took it for granted that Rasmus wasn't up to pinch hitting, but then he came into the game in the 9th. Someone will have to explain why he didn't in the 8th.

Jay of the Day is Rajai (.139 WPA) even though he struck out in the 9th, chasing a pitch off the plate, with the tying run on base. Before that Rajai had 3 hits, in 3 at bats, a double and 2 stolen bases. He also strayed a little two for off second, with the bases loaded, when Ugly caught Edwin's line drive. I thought he got back in time, but the umpire disagreed. Honorable mention to Aaron Loup for his 4 straight outs of in relief and David Cooper his lead off double in the 8th.

Suckage numbers go to Edwin (-.290 but most of that negative was from the line drive double play with the bases loaded, that was just bad luck), Mike McCoy (-.225, 0 for 4, walk, but he did hit the ball hard, to make the final out of the game), Sierra (-.126, 1 for 4, k), Gomes (-.115, for that one strikeout) and Mathis (-.106). Mathis I can't give the award to, because of one play. On a double play change, Yunel threw wide of first, the runner went for second but Mathis, following up the play from behind the plate, got the ball and threw to 2nd to get the runner. Just a great play.

One other play I have to note was in the first inning. Rajai started things off with a single. Mike McCoy tried to bunt but Pierzynski got to the ball quick and threw to second in time to get Davis. I hate bunts in the first inning. It is stupid, maybe the pitcher doesn't have it that day. Your first guy got on, maybe the next will too. Instead of going for the big inning, we use a 1 run strategy with 8 inning left to play.

It is even worse with Davis on first. I'd bet Davis has a better success rate of stealing second then the average sac bunt success rate. It is just a bad play. We still scored, but one run wasn't enough.

Tomorrow it is Ricky Romero (8-9, 5.32) facing the White Sox and Gavin Floyd (8-9, 4.43). Let's score some runs for Ricky.