Quick Recap Thursday Game 2: Bichette and Smoak homer

Blue Jays 5 Pirates 4

The important stuff? Vlad Guerrero Jr hit a double off the wall, in the second, and beat out an infield single, in the 7th. 2 for 4 He showed good speed beating out the single. On defense Vlad tried to make a play on a ‘swinging bunt’ that I’m sure would have gone foul if he would have left it. Other than that he looked good.

Bo Bichette followed Vlad’s single with an opposite field homer. He hit it a long way. He had 3 strikeouts to go with the homer. He also had a hard hit ground ball go through him for a single. I thought he should have made the play, but it was hit hard. Other than that his defense looked ok.

Other hitters:

• Curtis Granderson started the game with a double (we couldn’t score him). 1 for 3. .306.
• Kevin Pillar: 0 for 4, k. .425. He’s got a great spring average, but every game I get to see he goes 0 for.
• Justin Smoak: 1 for 3, homer, walk, k. .222.
• Randal Grichuk: 1 for 4, 2 k. .280.
• Kendrys Morales: 1 for 4, 2 k. .208. Pirates had the biggest shift I can remember seeing against Kendrys, everyone on the right side of the infield (he struck out).
• Yangervis Solarte: 0 for 3, 2 k. .136. He also whiffed on a popout just foul on the first base side, ran a long way and then had it go off his glove.
• Jon Berti: 1 for 1, home run.
• Danny Jansen: 0 for 4, 1 k. 105. Threw out a base stealer.

Pitchers:

Joe Biagini went 4.1, allowed 4 hits, 3 earned, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts. He wasn’t exactly helped by his defense, but 3 walks in 4 innings isn’t great.

Deck McGuire followed with a very nice 2.2 innings, giving up just 1 hit with 3 strikeouts. He was helped out by Danny Jansen throwing out his inherited runner trying to steal second.

• Tim Mayza: Gave up a pair of singles, one that bunt that Vlad should have left. His 2 outs were hard hit flies, one a very hard hit line drive, luckily straight at our left fielder. Left with 2 on and 2 out.
• Rhiner Cruz followed, giving up a walk to load the bases, then got a strikeout to end the inning, saving Mayza a couple of earned runs.
• Chad Girodo pitched a nervous 9th, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 k, 1 earned. Got the last out with the tying run on third and the winning run at second.

Jays are now 13-14 on the spring.

Tomorrow the Jays travel to Charlotte to play the Rays again. The game isn’t on MLB.tv.