Jays Win in Extra Innings

Blue Jays 2 Red Sox 2

I like Fenway Park games when the Jays score a bunch of runs much better.

We got a terrific start from José Berríos. He went 6 innings, gave up 5 hits, 2 earned, 1 walk, with 6 strikeouts. Unfortunately, the one walk came just before a home run. It looked like Jose was being squeezed by plate umpire Laz Diaz on that walk (and at other moments). There were two pitches of Enrique Hernandez’s pitch walk that could of/should of been called strikes. And, as so often is the case, after an iffy walk, the next batter, Franchy Cordero, took a pitch off the outside corner of the plate and hit it on a line over the green monster. It wasn’t a bad pitch (95.8 MPH fastball that was at least an inch or two off the plate).

Other than that, Jose was pretty terrific. He did give up a Jarren Duran double off the monster later that inning but settled down from there and made it through his 6 innings on 87 pitches. You might have been able to push him through one more inning, but, like yesterday, it might be best not to push the starters in late August.

Yimi Garcia gave up a hit and a walk in the seventh but kept the game tied.

Tim Mayza had some troubles in the eight, giving up a pair of singles, getting two outs, but Anthony Bass came in with runners on second and third and got a pair of strikeouts around an intentional walk. An amazing job by Bass.

Adam Cimber got the ninth. He gave up a leadoff single but followed that with a neat double play ball.

After scoring 9 yesterday, the bats seemed kind of tired today. 9 hits in regulation time.

We got a run:

• In the fourth: George Springer led off with a single, Vladimir Guerrero walked. After a Lourdes Gurriel ground out, Alejandro Kirk lined a single to left, scoring Springer. We should have had scored more, but Teoscar Hernandez and Bo Bichette each struck out.
• In the fifth: Whit Merrifield hit a one-out single. After Jackie Bradley struck out, Springer singled and Vlad singled, tying the game at two.

Matt Chapman had a terrific day with the glove, starting an amazing double play with a terrific flip to second. And he had a couple of other nice plays.

In extras:

Top of the tenth:

Ryan Brasier into pitch, Jackie Bradley Jr. the Manfred Man, Springer doubled off the wall, just a few feet short of a home run. Vlad followed with a 6-3 ground out, excellent play by Rafael Devers to get the out. Lourdes ground out. And Kirk popped up. It would have been good to bring in another run, but our first lead of the game.

Bottom of the tenth:

Jordon Romano into the game. Rob Refsnyder the Manfred Man. Verdugo led off, and he popped up to center field. J.D. Martinez ground out to Chapman. The Jays decided to intentionally walk Rafael Devers, putting the winning run on base. I’m not a fan of intentional walks, but you can understand this one. Enrique Hernandez (with hit .613 OPS) up. Romano struck him out on 5 pitches.

Our bullpen was terrific, other than the trouble Mayza had.

We had 10 hits in all. Springer and Kirk (two infield singles, speed kills) had 3 hits each.

We had 0 fors from Hernandez (0 for 4, 4 strikeouts), Chapman (0 for 4, 2 strikeouts), and Bradley Jr. (0 for 4, 1 strikeout, but scored the winning run).

Jays of the Day: Romano (.452 WPA), Bass (.277), Cimber (.142), Berrios (.119), Garcia (.090), Springer (.232), and Guerrero (.118, plus a great stretch to get a very big out on a throw that was a little off line).

The Other Award: Mayza (-.168), Hernandez (-.201), Bichette (-.136), Bradley (-.127), and Merrifield (-.093). Chapman also had the number (-.183), but that defensive play was huge.

Here is the play, one of the best plays you ever see from a third baseman:

Tomorrow the Jays go for the sweep with Kevin Gausman (9-9, 2.99). Kutter Crawford (3-5, 5.14) starts for the Red Sox.