Blue Jays Let Opportunity Slip Away - Lose 3-2 to Atlanta

Toronto Blue Jays - 2  Atlanta Braves - 3 (Boxscore for Mobile)

Coming out of a series where the Toronto Blue Jays took three of four from the Evil Empire the AL East Leaders in Toronto took their talents to Atlanta for a quick three game set against the Braves.

The Jays, holding onto a 3-game lead entering play sent Mark Buehrle to the mound (14-7 with a 3.72 ERA) looking to rebound after a short and brutal outing in Boston where he gave up 5 ER in just 3.1 IP.

For the Braves, Julio Teheran (10-7 with a 4.38 ERA). The young right hander has struggled a bit this season, especially against lefties (5.98 FIP entering play vs LHB).

The Jays would take the early lead in the 2nd inning when Cliff Pennington singled to right scoring Justin Smoak from second. Nick Markakis came up throwing and, had he thrown it on-line, would have thrown out Smoak by about five feet but instead his throw went up the first base line allowing the less-than fleet footed Firstbaseman to score. 1-0 Blue Jays

The lead wouldn't last long as Andrelton Simmons drove in the tying run on a groundout to second which had been preceded by am Adonis Garcia single and A.J. Pierzynski double to start the inning. 1-1 score.

Continuing what would be an active day for the Blue Jays 1B Justin Smoak would commit an error on a sharply hit ball off the bat off Freddie Freeman allowing the aforementioned Markakis to score, but, in true Smoakie fashion would make up for it with a homerun to right field to lead off the 6th to bring the score even again. 2-2.

Mark Buehlre was pinch hit for by Chris Colabello Ezequiel Carrera Chris Colabello to close out his night. He went 5 IP, allowed 2 R (1 ER) on 6 Hits with 2 K's to 1 BB.

Brett Cecil would come on in relief in the bottom half of the 6th and worked a clean three-up; three-down inning striking out a pair in the process. 

Meanwhile, Teheran was pulled in the 6th going 5.2 allowed 2 R's (both earned) on 5 Hits, striking out 7 while walking 4.

Andrew McKirahan would take over for Teheran and get Colabello to weakly line out to end the inning, then get Ben Revere to ground out to start the 7th before giving way to Brandon Cunniff.

Mark Lowe would take over for Cecil in the 7th. Working around a leadoff walk Lowe would benefit from a double play turned behind him before getting Michael Bourne to foul out down the left field line to end the inning.

Cunniff would stay in to face Smoak and Martin in the 8th but, following a walk to the latter, lefty Matt Marksberry came on in relief, struck out Ryan Goins and walked off the field... Of course, there was only the one out at the time and the manager hadn't actually taken him out of the game, but points for being pro-active?

Peter Moylan would strike Kevin Pillar out to end the inning sending the game into the bottom of the 8th still tied.

Aaron Sanchez entered the game to face the 9-1-2 hitters for the Braves. Also into the game, Darwin Barney making his first appearance as a Blue Jay. He's won a Gold Glove, I'll remind you. He replaced Ryan Goins moving Cliff Pennington to short... 

He'd get a groundout by Moylan, allow a single to Markakis, and strike out Daniel Castro bringing up the ever-dangerous Freeman. Sanchez... against a LHB... out of the stretch... You know where this is going.

Freeman popped out on a 3-1 pitch to shallow CF... I mean... seriously... Have some faith, people.

Arodys Vizcaino would come on in the 9th looking to keep the game tied facing the overpowering force of Pennington, Barney, and Revere... He'd just barely escape following a groundout and a pair of shallow fly-outs to get out of the inning.

Sanchez stayed on to pitch the 9th. An infield single (fantastic play by Barney, Smoak couldn't scoop what appeared to be a difficult but scoopable ball), a hard hit single to RF, and a not great throw from Bautista brought Cameron Maybin up with two on and none out. A conceded stolen base moved the trailing runner up 90-feet.

Maybin would ground out sharply to Barney not giving the runner at 3rd a chance to score bringing Simmons up with 1 out and on the first pitch of the AB he would rip a single into RF to end the ballgame.

Blue Jays lose 3-2.

Jays of the Day: Justin Smoak had the number but I feel it is negated by the error allowing a run to score and the missed scoop (the whole reason he plays) which led to the winning run.

Suckage: Aaron Sanchez (-.294), Ben Revere (-.178) after going 0-5 on the day.

David Price goes for the Jays in the 2nd game tomorrow, 7:10pm start time.