Jays Get 3 Hits, And Beat Rangers

Blue Jays 2 Rangers 1

That was pretty much your basic Kevin Gausman start. John took him out after just six innings (94 pitches), but he allowed just 4 hits, 1 earned (a Leody Taveras home run), 2 walks and just 4 strikeouts (getting the under on our poll).

And we only scored 2 runs for him, which is the most Gausman-like part of the game.

Our Jays only managed 3 hits. Luckily, one was a Danny Jansen two-run home run in the fifth. The other two hits were a Whit Merrifield single and a Bo Bichette double. We also had 2 walks.

The bullpen did a great job too:

• Erik Swanson gave up a hit and had a strikeout in his inning.
• Tim Mayza started the eighth. He got a ground out and then was helped out by a great play from Daulton Varsho (who, for that inning, moved from center field to left, with Kevin Keirmaier coming in to play center). On a grounder just over Matt Chapman (it went off his glove). Varsho ran at it hard and made a great throw to second. Cavan Biggio made a nice tag on Nathaniel Lowe. A walk to Adolis Garcia prompted John to bring in Jordan Romano.
• Romano got Josh Jung to strike out on three pitches. He started the ninth with two strikeouts (as much as Mitch Graver hit one a mile, just on the foul side of the left field pole). A ground out (nice play by Bo) got him his 20th save (with 3 blown saves).

Jays of the Day: Romano (.262 WPA), Gausman (.229), Jansen (.208) and Swanson (.106). Give Varsho’s arm an honourable mention. He also made a great catch in the first inning.

The Other Award: Kirk (-.140, for an 0 for 4), but then he called a good game, helping our staff keep the Rangers to the 1 run. So maybe I should let him off the hook.

Tomorrow we have a 4:00 Eastern start. It is a bullpen day. I’m not sure who the ‘starter’ will be, but it will be John Wholestaff pitching. Dane Dunning (5-1, 2.76). If you get Craig Calcaterra’s Cup of Coffee newsletter (and you should), you’ll know that Dane had a movie career in the 1950s before it all went wrong.