Blue Jays 3 Royals 2: Ryan Goins saves the game with a great play for the final out

Royals 2 Blue Jays 3

Ryan Goins made one of the best game ending plays you are ever going to see. Not only did he get to the ball, showing great range, but he made a great throw to first.  How many times have we seen a second basemen get to a ball, just to watch him throw it away. .

You know all those games that we deserved to win, but lost, earlier in the season? This one, I'm not so sure we deserved to win. Mark Buehrle was terrific. 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts, without giving up a run. His ERA, which was once over 7, back on May 6th,  is now under 4, at 3.92. Most of us figured he was finished, back then, but he's been so good. And he makes the games go quick.

Then Brett Cecil came into the game. He gave up 3 hits, getting just one out (well, at least the umpire said it was an out, on a really nice bunt that Emilio Bonifacio was pretty obviously safe on) and allowed 2 runs. Cecil's been going the opposite way from Buehrle, he had a 1.38 ERA, back on June 21st. After today his ERA is more than double that, at 3.02. Still a good number, but it is headed the wrong way. I asked, in the GameThread, if it is time to take another look at the weighted ball program. Delabar is hurt, Cecil is ineffective, McGowan is hurt (yeah, McGowan is always hurt) and Janssen has been much less effective. It's early to question it, but it isn't looking as good as it did in the first half.

Anyway. Cecil was saved by Sergio Santos, who took over for him with 1 out and the tying run at first, and got  2 quick ground outs, one on which Brett Lawrie made a incredible barehanded play.

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Casey Janssen came in for the save in the 9th. He gave up a ball hit off the right field wall, that should have been a double, but Mike Moustakas has seen the scouting reports on Moises Sierra's arm and didn't test it. David Lough popped up to middle deep right field, that Ryan Goins went out to get. Goins was really quite deep in right field (Sierra should have made the play). Jarrod Dyson followed with a single to center. Pinch hitter George Kottaras lined to center, Anthony Gose made a very nice catch. Then Alex Gordon ground one past first, again Goins went a long way to get the ball, and then made a great throw to first to get the final out.

Casey only has 4 strikeouts in 9.2 innings this month.

Our offense only managed 4 hits. Fortunately, 2 of them, and an error, came in the first inning. Goins reached on a Emilio Bonifacio error (only fitting, we lost enough games one Bonifacio errors, we should get one back), Edwin Encarnacion doubled and Adam Lind brought both of them home with a single.

Then, in the 5th, Gose lead off with a triple (he is fun to watch run) and Goins drove him home with a single. That was our last hit of the game. Goins batting average drops to .423.

Jays of the Day are Buehrle (.371 WPA), Janssen (.168, though he really owes it to the defense) and Santos (.129). I'm also giving one to Edwin (.094) and Goins (Just .033, but it doesn't count his defense).

Suckage goes to Cecil (-.191). It looks to me that he should get a couple of weeks off.

Nice GameThread tonight, 29 of us put up 576 comments. expos&nordiques4ever led us, showing us his winning commenter instincts that made Morosi such a big fan.