Poor Start For Bassitt, Jays Lose

Cardinals 9 Blue Jays 4

This one was over early.

Chris Bassitt had a terrible first start for the Jays:

• In the first: Bassitt’s first pitch was a home run for Brendan Donovan. The next batter, Alec Burleson, waited for the second pitch to homer. And, after a single, double play and another single Nolan Gorman had their third home run of the inning. 4-0 Cards before we got to hit.
• The second was a nice three-up, three-down inning. But the third started with a popup that Bo Bichette lost in the run, and Daulton Varsho couldn’t catch up to (the wind was blowing it around). A glance towards Whit Merrifield playing left didn’t help Daulton. A “double”, that should have been an easy out. A lineout and single scored the Cardinals fifth run. And after a flyout, Nolan Gorman hit his second home run of the game. If that popup was caught, it would have saved us three runs (all things staying the same) that inning.
• The fourth started out with a pair of singles putting runners on the corners. Then a deep fly (that Varsho made a great catch) brought in one. And that was the end for Bassitt. Zach Pop came in and gave up a double, to bring Bassitt’s earned run total to nine.

In all, Bassitt went 3.1, and allowed 10 hits, 9 earned, no walks, no strikeouts, with 4 home runs.

After that:

• Pop got the two outs in the fourth. He threw 7 pitches and was pulled for
• Trevor Richards. He threw 2 innings, 2 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts.
• Anthony Bass: 1 inning, 2 hits.
• Tim Mayza: 1 inning, 1 hit.

I don’t know why Pop couldn’t be allowed to go further than 7 pitches, but that’s the way things are being done.

Offensively:

The Jays had 10 hits today (if we had a couple of those yesterday....).

We scored three in the bottom of the second. Varsho singled. Alejandro Kirk walked. Chapman doubled Daulton home. A Merrifield sac fly and a Danny Jansen single scored 2 more. We were down 4-3 but it went downhill from there.

The fourth run came in the sixth. Chapman doubled, and Merrifield drove him home. That was all the scoring for the day.

Chapman had a good day at the plate, going 3 for 4, with a double. Varsho was 2 for 4 with a steal. Bo, Vlad (double), Alejandro, Merrifield and Jansen had a hit each.

After five hits in the first game, Springer is 0 for 10 in the last two. Santiago Espinal was also hitless.

Three games in, we are still looking for our first home run. Hopefully, that will change in Kansas City.

Jay of the Day: Let’s give one to Chapman (.089). And an honourable mention to Richards for talking John into letting him do two innings.

The Other Award: Bassitt (-.531).

The Jays are 1-2, and heading to Kansas City for three games. Tomorrow’s is a 7:40 Eastern start.