Giles gets his first blown save as a Jay, Jays lose

Blue Jays 6 Red Sox 5

That 9th inning wasn’t fun:

Ken Giles gave out a 1-out walk to Mookie Betts and then Moreland hit a hard liner over Grichuk. I thought Randal should have made the catch, but it was hit hard. The double scored Betts and Giles’ save streak was over. An intentional and non-intention walk loaded the bases. And a chopper over a drawn in infield ended the game.

Giles wasn’t hitting his spots, hopefully it was just one bad game. He should be allowed one every now and then. But I hope there isn’t another one this year.

We had 3 home runs:

• Justin Smoak had a 3-run shot in the 3rd inning.
• Rowdy Tellez had a solo shot also in the 3rd inning.
• Freddy Galvis had a solo homer in the 7th.

We only had 8 hits, and Galvis had 4 of them. Tellez had a single to go with the homer. Smoak had the homer and the only other hit was from Lourdes Gurriel.

We had a shot for more runs in the top of the 9th. Tellez singled and Jansen was hit by pitch on the hand, I wonder if he’ll have to sit for a day or two. Drury popped out but Gurriel (who is looking much better at the plate) walked. But Brito struck out (A spot for a pinch hitter? Maybe, depends on if there is something going on with Teoscar’s eye and, well, Teoscar isn’t hitting either) and McKinney ground out.

On the pitching side, Aaron Sanchez was doing pretty good until a fly ball fell between Randal Grichuk and Socrates Brito to start the 3rd inning. Someone has to tell Randal that he’s the center fielder and he has to take charge. You could see him calling for it, then he stopped and then put up his glove but watched the ball miss it. People in the GameThread blamed Brito but Grichuk has to take charge.

After the error, Sanchez got a strikeout. Then J.D. Martinez doubled off the wall in center. After a hard line drive right at Billy McKinney (defensive positioning or dumb luck, but we’ll take it), Rafael Denvers double home Martinez and Dustin Pedroia singled home Devers. A ground out ended the inning.

Aaron had more troubles in the 5th, a 1-out single and walk, followed but 2 wild pitches, scored another run. But Pedroia hit a fly to medium center and Randal made a perfect throw getting the runner at the play. Bad idea to send him but there were two outs, taking a shot isn’t a terrible idea.

Aaron went 5 innings, allowed 5 hits, 4 runs, but only the one earned, 4 walks with 5 strikeouts. He wasn’t particularly sharp, but that error hurt and he left with a lead.

Tim Mayza pitched a nice quick 6th inning.

Joe Biagini had a rough time in the 7th. He gave up a solo homer, to Mitch Moreland to tied the game and then a 2-out walk and was out of the game.

Thomas Pannone came in and got the 3rd out.

Javy Guerra pitched a quick 8th.

Not a fun way to lose, but there are going to be days like this. Grichuk is going to have to get better in center field, but it is a learning year. And we need some better at bats at times.

But at least we are scoring. I’d rather lose with some runs on the board than to lose without hitting for the first 6 six innings

Jays of the Day: Galvis (.330 WPA, on a 4 for 4 day), Smoak (.229, 1 for 3, 3-run homer and walk), Tellez (.099, 2 for 4, homer) and Mayza (.091).

Suckage: Giles (-780), Biagini (-.163), Brito (-.152, 0 for 4 and a strikeout with the bases loaded in the 9th, he could have saved us some sweat), Drury (-.139, 0 for 4, he did have a nice play at 3rd base) and Grichuk (-.199, not counting the error, 0 for 3, walk. He had the throw out at the plate, but didn’t make the catch in the 9th).

We had 1211 comments in the GameThread. westbromjaysfan led us to a crushing defeat.