That was awful: Jays lose in extras

Blue Jays 5 Cubs 6 (10 innings)

The top of 10th inning was fun.

Josh Donaldson started things off with an infield single, just off the glove of Javier Baez. It’s about time we got a late inning hit past him. After a Justin Smoak fly out, Jose Bautista was intentionally walked (Josh moved up to second on a bad throw from Cubs catcher Alex Avila).

After a Darwin Barney fly out, Kevin Pillar hit a hard single to right and Josh just beat the throw to the plate (with a nice slide). I like Pillar so much better when he’s hitting.

The fun continued when Koji Uehara walked Ryan Goins (his second walk of the game). and Norichika Aoki, to plate another run.

The bottom of the inning wasn’t so much fun. Roberto Osuna in, and he didn’t look like he was totally recovered from his flu.

• Kyle Schwarber struck out but the pitch got past Raffy Lopez and he reached first.
• Ben Zobrist singled giving the Cubs runners on the corners.
• Another wild pitch and a run scores and the tying run goes to third.
• Anthony Rizzo ground out to second, moving the tying run to third.
• Javier Baez, after hitting a ball deep but foul, struck out but Lopez dropped the ball and then seemed to forget he had to throw to first, and Baez reached. Two strikeouts and both reached. Life is so unfair. There is no excuse for that.....he’s a major league catcher, even a minor league catcher can’t be making that mistake.
• Jason Heyward was hit by pitch, bases loaded, 1 out, and Roberto isn’t looking great.
• Alex Avila singled and we lost. Just shoot me. Bautista made a nice throw, a bit off line, but it wasn’t good enough and we lose.

We got a nice start from Marco Estrada. He had one bad/unlucky inning and 5 very good innings.

The Cubs got 3 runs in the 3rd inning, with only 1 hit out of the infield. Cubs catcher Rene Rivera hit one up the middle, that went off Marco’s glove and deflected away from the fielders. Single. Jon Jay followed and got a hit by pitch that, to me, was within an inch or two a being a strike. That one bugged me, because he barely got touched, it breezed by his elbow pad, and his elbow was basically in the strike zone. Kyle Hendriks followed with a bunt, which he popped up but it fell and stopped about 10 feet or so from the plate, down the third base line. The Jays had Smoak crashing at first but Jose Bautista staying at third, hoping to get the lead runner. Everything to the 3rd base side was Estrada’s. Marco picked up the ball and threw quick, but wide to first. Ryan Goins did a nice job catching it. Marco had time to get balanced before throwing it. Bases loaded.

Albert Almora followed with a grounder down the third base, for a 3-run double. I doubt Donaldson would have been able to make that play if he was playing 3rd.

In total, Marco allowed 5 hits (3 in that inning), 1 walk, with 4 strikeouts. Without the bad luck inning, it was a very good day.

Offensively, we didn’t do a lot. Just 8 hits, with 8 walks. We scored a 1 in each of the 4th, 5th and 6th innings. And we top of the 10th.

• In the 4th, Justin Smoak led off with a double, and Jose Bautista drove him home with a hard hit single (his first hard hit ball to the outfield, for a hit, in weeks). Smoak was lucky, he would have been thrown out with a good throw. Kevin Pillar would also single, but Ryan Goins couldn’t do magic, this time, hitting into a double play.
• In the 5th Norichika Aoki led off with a double. Marco Estrada, in a bunt situation, instead chopped one at short. Aoki, even with the ball in front of him, went to 3rd and was just safe. Ezequiel Carrera hit into a double play, but Aoki scored.
• In the 6th, Miguel Montero hit a home run against his old team.

Our bullpen did the job until Osuna got in and it wasn’t all his fault, I really really want my catcher blocking things, but there is no excuse for not throwing to first on the second strike out.

Dominic Leone, Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera pitched 3 scoreless inning. Tepera had to do a bit of magic, after starting his inning with 2 walks.

Suckage, I’m giving all to Raffy.

Osuna didn’t look right, I’m guessing he’s still not over his flu, but, with some help from his catcher, he likely had the save.

JoD? Oh I don’t care. Give it to Pillar for the go ahead hit and the terrific catch while running into a brick wall. I just want to punch a brick wall.

Who wants to join me at the bar?