Offense Still Missing, Jays Lose to Guardians

Blue Jays 3 Guardians 4

If you continuously play these close games, you will lose some of them. They are putting way too much pressure on the bullpen.

The game started nicely.

We scored two in the first. George Springer led off with a double. Bo Bichette walked, and Vladimir Guerrero singled to load the bases. Then Teoscar Hernandez singled home two. Still no outs, two on. We were hoping for a big inning.

But no. Lourdes Gurriel ground out. Alejandro Kirk walked to load the bases again. But Matt Chapman struck out (which would become a theme, he was 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts), and Santiago Espinal hit a soft fly to center.

It seems like the way the early season is going, but, once again, we should have scored more runs.

We’d only get one more run in the seventh. Espinal led off with a double and would score on back-to-back fly balls to center.

It gave us a one-run lead, but it would be nice to go into the late innings with more than that.

We didn’t have many more chances. Six of our other seven innings were 3 up, 3 down. If you only get four hits, you don’t deserve to win.

They will have to get a voodoo doctor to take the curse off the bats.

Alek Manoah wasn’t as sharp as he’s been all season until now. Not that he was terrible. He went 5 innings, allowed 5 hits, 2 earned 1 walk, with 3 strikeouts.

He loaded the bases in the second inning but pitched out of it without allowing a run. But he wasn’t so lucky in the third, giving up a double, triple and sac fly to start the inning, allowing his two runs. Then, he hit a batter and gave up a single before getting out of it with a could play.

His last two innings were his best, with two 3 up, 3 down innings. He wanted to go back for the sixth, but, at 95 pitches, it was likely time.

Yimi Garcia pitched the sixth and got the first two outs of the seventh.

Tim Mayza got the last out of the seventh but gave up a one-out home run to Owen Miller in the eighth, tying the game. He got one more out, then passed the ball to Adam Cimber.

Cimber wasn’t his usual sharp self. He gave up a single walk and then singled to center, which scored the go-ahead run. There are going to be days like that. I have often said that if you use enough relievers, you will hit the one that doesn’t have it that day. Cimber was the one.

Jay of the Day: Yimi Garcia (.151 WPA).

Suckage: Cimber (-325), Mayza (-.218), and Chapman (-.159).

Tomorrow is a needed off-day for the Jays. Then we have two games against the Yankees. We’ve seen a lot of the Sith his season.