Blue Jays blow out Rays behind Troy Tulowitzki’s five-RBI effort

Last night everything went wrong for the Blue Jays. It was a little different today—at least after the game started.

Right before game time, the Toronto front office decided to place Jose Bautista on the 15-day disabled list with a grade one knee sprain (what does one get a grade one knee sprain for back-to school?). Following last night’s ugly loss and the news that hometown favourite Dalton Pompey was remaining in Buffalo, the Blue Jays Fan Angstometer was reading high.

So it was a perfect time for a 7-0 blowout. Here’s how the Jays scored:

• In the first inning, Devon Travis led off with a single and Josh Donaldson followed up with one of his own. Edwin Encarnacion struck out and Russell Martin flew out before Troy Tulowitzki deposited a slider into left field to make it 3-0 Jays.
• In the second, Darwin Barney doubled and scored on a Travis single to right. 4-0.
• Rays rookie starter Blake Snell walked Encarnacion and Russell Martin to load the bases, then walked Tulowitzki to force in a run to make it a 5-0 game. Dylan Floro came in and got Melvin Upton to pop up to end the second inning.
• In the sixth inning, Danny Farquhar walked Encarnacion with two outs then hit Martin. Tulowitzki then collected his fifth RBI in the game on a single to make it 6-0 Toronto. It was Tulo’s seventh five-RBI game in his career and first with the Blue Jays.
• Justin Smoak made it 7-0 in the seventh with a solo Smoak Bomb against Ryan Garton.

Beside the heroics from the batters, J.A. Happ wins his major league leading 16th game by allowing just four hits and two walks on seven strikeouts. Most of his trouble came in the first two innings then he just cruised along until he was replaced by Joe Biagini in the top of the seventh.

Biagini allowed a double down the line and struck out two in his inning of work. He has now gone 15.1 innings without allowing a run. Jason Grilli and Ryan Tepera finished up the game with a perfect inning each. Tepera struck out one but Grilli didn’t strike out any. Out of his 25 appearances in a Blue Jays uniform, this was just the fourth game Grilli failed to strike anyone out (two of the times he only faced one batter).

The Jays did all that in front of a crowd of 45,501 on a Wednesday night against the worst team in the division. Cha-ching.

Hell for Snell

The Blue Jays shelled Snell, but his ERA did not exactly swell. Despite giving up five runs in just 1.2 innings, Snell's ERA only rose from 2.95 to 3.18 because the three runs that came on Tulowitzki's homer were considered to be unearned as right fielder Steven Souza Jr. dropped a catchable Josh Donaldson foul pop. Snell's line was still ugly: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 BK. The rookie should sit down and reflect on his rough start... or would he refract upon it? I guess it depends which angle he takes.

2-Lo + 3-Run Home Run = 17-Game Solo Streak Ends

The Blue Jays must’ve downloaded a great dating app this week because their long solo streak is over!

It was the longest such streak in franchise history and was the longest in Major League Baseball since the Giants hit 21 straight in 2011.

Ups and Downs

Blue Jays reliever Ryan Tepera was recalled for the sixth time before Wednesday’s game; Rays reliever Danny Farquhar had been sent down and called up four times this season.

Upton Steals Three

Melvin Upton became the first Blue Jay to steal three bases in a game since Jose Reyes did so in July 2015. He is just the 16th player in franchise history to hit that mark. Upton finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk and no strikeouts!

Jays of the Day!

Troy Tulowitzki (+.291 WPA), J.A. Happ (+.183).

Suckage Jays

None. Edwin Encarnacion had the low number at -.050 WPA with an 0-for-3 effort (2 BB, 2 K).