Jays Lose Game One of Double Header

Rays 6 Blue Jays 2

That was a hard-luck game in a few ways.

• Kevin Gausman gave up a couple of baserunners in both the first and second innings, kind of soft contact that fell in but was able to pitch through it. But, with 2 out in the second inning, Wander Franco hit a comebacker that hit Gausman in the ankle. Kevin went straight down, Gabriel Moreno got to the ball and threw Franco out, but Gausman didn’t come out for the third inning. He walked off under his own power and they say that x-rays are negative, no break, just a contusion. I don’t know if he’ll be making his next start, but he won’t have to go on the IL (unless the x-ray is wrong).
• Casey Lawrence came in and was very good. He had some bad luck, softly hit balls falling in (he also gave up a couple of solo homers). But, in the fifth, after a walk and a single (that fell just in front of Teoscar Hernandez (I thought he could have made a better effort on it), Randy Arozarena hit a ground ball up the middle that would have been an inning-ending double play, but it hit Lawrence in the leg (no injury this time) for an RBI single. Three runs scored that inning. Lawrence went 5.2 innings, allowed 7 hits, 6 earned (one an inherited runner that scored after he left the game), 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. The line doesn’t look good, but he ate some inning when we needed them and did well other than some bad luck. His prize will be a trip to beautiful Buffalo, New York.

We had no luck at all with Rays starter Shane McClanahan, who went 7 innings, allowed 3 hits, 1 earned, 1 walk with 10 strikeouts.

We could have hot something going against the Rays pen, but, with two on in the eighth, Vlad took ball four well outside but it was called a strike. After that, he popped out. We were a bad call away from the bases loaded.

And, in the ninth, Teoscar led off with a walk, Lourdes Gurriel followed with a single, but a double play and a fly-out ended that hope.

Jay of the Day: Gausman (.101 WPA) even with just going 2 innings. I’m giving Lawrence an honourable mention for saving our bullpen from getting used up. Things didn’t go his way, but saving us from using several bullpen pitchers was important with another game in 3 hours. So Lawrence can take that award back to Buffalo with him. I’d imagine we’ll see him again.

Suckage: Chapman (-.103 for an 0 for 4 with 2 k).

Game two is at 6:00 Eastern. Thomas Hatch will start for the Jays. Max Castillo will be optioned out to make room for Hatch. Drew Rasmussen starts for the Rays. See you then.