Quick Spring Recap: Alford Homers Again

Blue Jays 8 Phillies 7

Another game where we got some runs, and another 5 run inning. We seemed to have great luck on balls in play in the 5 run third inning. And then Anthony Alford hit his third home run in two days and his fourth of the spring. He’s looking great at the plate.

Shoemaker had a mixed outing. Well not so much mixed, more a bad outing. He pitched 3 innings, and had 4 strikeouts. But he walked 4 and gave up 2 home runs. That gives him 4 home runs allowed on the spring. I’ll give him a bit of a break, thinking that he’s working on pitches, but I’d love him to have a good outing sometime soon.

Other pitchers:

• Zach Jackson: 1 inning, 1 hit, 3 strikeouts. 0.00 ERA on the spring.
• David Paulino: 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 k. 0.00.
• Elvis Luciano: 1 inning. Started it with a very nice strikeout, then gave up back-to-back home runs. Also had a walk and another strikeout. 13.50 ERA.
• Ryan Tepera: 1 clean inning.
• Corey Copping: Had his first rough outing of the spring. Gave up 3 hits and a walk while only getting 1 out, a strikeout. Gave up 2 earned, but owes Kirby Snead a thank you that it wasn’t more.
• Kirby Snead: Took over for Copping, with runners on second and third and one out. Got 2 strikeouts. Gave up a single to start the 9th and came out of the game.
• Jackson McClelland: Just to keep us confused, we get both Jacksons in the game. Got a double play ball to erase Snead’s runner. Then he gave up a long fly, but foul. Then a walk and a hit batter to worry us. But he got a strikeout to end the game.

Batting

Starting lineup:

• Kevin Pillar: 0 for 4, 2 k. .120. He hasn’t looked great out there.
• Eric Sogard: 2 for 5, 2 doubles, 3 k. .217. Second double was high off the wall along the right field line. If they didn’t have such a high wall it would have been a home run.
• Teoscar Hernandez: 2 for 3, k. .522. Some BABIP luck today, soft fly ball that fell in front of the center fielder and a ground ball that hit the bag at third. But he is making contact, and that is a good thing. He was also caught stealing.
• Justin Smoak: 1 for 3, double, k. .333.
• Rowdy Tellez: 1 for 4, 3 k. .280.
• Anthony Alford: 1 for 3, walk, home run, 2 k, steal. .333.
• Freddy Galvis: 1 for 2, walk, k. .238.
• Richard Urena: 2 for 3. .353.
• Luke Maile: 1 for 3, k. .111.

Replacements:

• Santiago Espinal: 0 for 1. .250.
• Andrew Guillotte: 0 for 2, k. .375.
• Andy Burns, 2 for 2, double (really it was a home run but bounced back into play). .500.
• Joshua Palacios:
• Bo Bichette: 0 for 1. .350.
• Jonathan Davis: 0 for 1, k. .211.
• Max Pentecost: 0 for 1, k. .286.

Jays are now 8-6-1.

Tomorrow we visit the Twins. That one isn’t on TV.