A Moral Victory Counts... Right? Tigers 3, Jays 2 11 innings

One inning cost the Jays a chance at a win. If not for a BABIP'ed base hit and a passed ball/wild pitch by the usually sure handed Jeff Mathis in the 8th inning then I would be typing about an epic 2-0 victory by the injury depleted Toronto Blue Jays over Justin "Cy MVP" Verlander. Alas, the game was not to be like the season.

J.A. Happ was good. He pitched well enough to win. 7 1/3 innings with 4 hits, 1 earned run, 3BBs and 7Ks. He left with 1 out and 1 on in the 8th, but the bullpen burped. Brandon Lyon got 1 out and allowed 1 hit and the normally reliable Darren Oliver coughed up an RBI hit (which Hech nearly snagged) and then threw the passed ball/wild pitch for the blow save.

Verlander did what everyone suspected he would do. He basically carved up the Jays meager lineup with 100mph fastballs, kneebuckler curves and 86mph change ups at the knees except in the 4th when he gave up a leadoff single to Colby Rasmus and Edwin Encarnacion blasted a Verlander curveball into the LF gap seats for a 2 run home run. There was one last chance in the 10th but it was stopped when Austin Jackson robbed Anthony Gose of a triple/inside the park home run in the 10th with an amazing catch in Right Centre Field.

Brad Lincoln and Aaron Loup pitched well in the 9th and 10th. Chad Jenkins did not pitch as well in the 11th. A base hit, a ground out, a walk and a strike out then Alex Aliva loops one into RF for the game winning hit. Tears of losing mixed in with the moral victory of nearly (emphasis nearly) beating Verlander with a weak lineup.

Jays of the Day: Happ (.450), Lincoln (.108) and Loup (.184) plus a gift one for EE who was the offense today.

Suckage Jays: Davis (-.164), Sierra (-.107), Gose (-.143), KJ (-.160), Jenkins (-.354) and Oliver (-.333)

Oh well. To Charm City aka Baltimore. Staff Ace Charlie V vs Zach Britton.