Bichette Hits Grand Slam, Jays Win

Blue Jays 9 White Sox 5

Before the game even started, the Jays' hitting coach, Guillermo Martinez was tossed during the exchange of lineup cards. It appeared that he said something to yesterday’s plate umpire Doug Eddings. Like something suggesting Eddings get a white cane.

Alejandro Kirk has been amazing. In the first inning, he drives in a run with a single. In the third inning, there was no one on base to drive in, so he homers.

Also amazing, Matt Chapman. In the first inning Ross Stripling gave up a single, then a ground ball down the third-base line that Chapman grabbed and threw to second, just in time for the out, and Santiago Espinal did the perfect pivot to turn it into a double play. Just a super play. Then Stripling gets strikeout. Next inning, single, ground ball to Chapman for a far more routine double, strikeout. Third inning they skipped the leadoff single, but Chapman still made a very nice play for the third out.

Chapman made another great play in the fourth inning, diving stop on a ground ball and then throwing to second from his knees. It might have been a double play but Espinal had a bit of trouble with the transfer.

Stripling went 6 innings, allowed 5 hits, 1 walk with 5 strikeouts and 1 earned. The earned run came because Lourdes tried for a diving catch and came up short. With the ball getting by him, allowing the runner from first to score. I’d have been upset with him if the game wasn’t so lopsided. But he should have know he didn’t have a chance.

We’d get a non-Kirk run in the third inning when Lourdes Gurriel singled home Chapman (who doubled hard down the left-field line. Later in the inning, Bo Bichette hit his second grand slam of the season, putting us up 7-0.

Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run shot in the seventh, to make it 9-1.

The White Sox had two players leave the game with injuries. SS Danny Mendick left after a collision chasing a popup down the left-field line. And right fielder Adam Engel left with hamstring tightness.

David Phelps gave up a run in the seventh. The inning started with a fly ball to the wall in center that Bradley Zimmer got to, but missed the catch. It wasn’t easy, but Zimmer is in the game to make those catches. Next batter lined a single in front of Lourdes. He didn’t dive, this time, but he threw home for no apparent reason. He wasn’t going to get the runner from third.

Cimbet had troubles but we had a big lead, so we can forgive.

I'll add THE JOD later.