Yet another 1-run loss for the Blue Jays

Mariners 3 Blue Jays 2

Man I'm hating these 1-run losses.

A game where out bad defense cost us and their good defense saved them. On their side of the ledger:

• Jose Bautista hit a hard line drive that third baseman Kyle Seager made a terrific catch on, in the 3rd inning.
• In the 6th, Bautista and Encarnacions walked to start the inning, then, after a Russell Martin pop out, Danny Valencia hit a hard line drive that looked to be going to right field, but Robinson Cano made a great grab and doubled Baustia off second. In Bautista's defense, he had a very good lead off second, before the pitch, and moved further with the pitch, there was no change he'd get back. Cano could have thrown to first too, Edwin was far enough off the bag to make the out there as well. It was just too quick a play.
• In the 7th, with Chris Colabello on first, Ryan Goins hit a line drive to left that Dustin Ackley (who just came into the game as a defensive replacement) made a great running, sliding catch to end that hope.

Our bad defense all seemed to come in the Mariners' 2-run 3rd inning. Chris Taylor hit a line drive fly ball, pretty much right at Chris Colabello in right, Chris only had to take a few steps back, but he misjudged it and turned what should have been an out, into a ground rule double. Then, a 4-pitch walk later (ok that's on Buehrle), Willie Bloomquist hit a deep fly to left field that Danny Valencia should have caught, but instead it went off the wall and both runners scored.

Other than that inning, Buehrle was very good. The other run was a solo homer for Kyle Seager. In all 7.1 innings, 5 hits (2 should have been caught), 3 earned (should have been 1), 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. That should be good enough to get us a win.

The bullpen did a good job too. Roberto Osuna finished off the 8th for Buehrle and Brett Cecil pitched a quick 8th.

We just didn't do enough on offense.

We scored 1 in the first. Donaldson doubled: Bautista walked (with Donaldson going to 3rd on a wild pitch ball 4) but all we could get was 1, on a Encarnacion sac fly.

And 1 more in the 4th, on a Colabello solo homer. The sad part was, just before Colabello's at bat, Danny Valencia hit a soft fly to center, that he figured would be caught, it wasn't, so then he starts running and gets thrown out at second. He should have either ran it out all the way or stopped at first.  Of course, there is no way to know if Chris would have still homered if Valencia was on second. I'd imagine he would have seen different pitches. Space time continuum and all. In 1-run games, it's often little things that make the difference between winning and losing.

In all we managed just 4 hits, and that includes Valencia getting credit for a single even though he got thrown out at second.

We did have another shot in the 7th. Colabello led off with a walk (he may have made a bad play in the field, but at least he made up for it at the plate).  Kevin Pillar was asked to bunt but wasn't able to and then struck out. Then pinch hitter, Justin Smoak struck out and Goins had the line drive to left that Ackley made the good catch on.

I often mention moves that Gibby makes that I don't agree with and, normally just ignore the other team's moves, but today: In the top of the 7th, Buehrle started things off by walking Justin Ruggiano and Logan Morrison. Next batter Mike Zunino puts down a bunt (a good bunt, and Edwin's throw to first al). I never understand why you would give a pitcher, who is in trouble, a free out. Especially when the next batter is hitting a big .179. Anyway, a soft fly out and a ground out and Buehrle is out of trouble.

Jays of the Day: Colabello had the number, .105 WPA, but he should have made that catch, so I can't give him it. As much as it isn't his fault, he really should be playing outfield. Let's gave an honorary JoD to Buehrle.

Suckage: Martin (.232, 0 for 4, 1 k), Valencia (-.216, plus the missed catch) and Pillar (-.109, 0 for 3, 2 k).

Source: FanGraphs

We had 595 comments in the GameThread, pretty good for a short game on a beautiful Sunday. ewangk did great work in a losing case.