Jays Sweep Red Sox

Blue Jays A Baker’s Dozen Red Sox 1

We had 18 hits in the four-game series with the Orioles. In this series, we had 44 hits in three games. You could watch baseball for 100 years, and still, it will surprise you repeatedly.

We got 11 runs over 3 innings, the third, fourth and fifth:

• Four in the third: Brandon Belt had a one-out bunt single. After a Davis Schneider strikeout (don’t worry, we’ll have enough good things to say about him), George Springer hit a “ground rule double” (really an error. The ball clanked off the center fielder’s glove). Matt Chapman doubled both of them home. And Cavan Biggio doubled home Chapman. Alejandro Kirk walked, and Kevin Keirmaier singled in Biggio. 4-0.
• Two in the fourth: Merrifield started the inning with a walk, and Schneider homered (his second in three days in the majors.
• Five in the fifth:: Biggio led off with a walk, and Kirk was hit on the right forearm (just like Jansen, Kirk stayed in the game, but I’m thinking that, if he was available, Jansen would have taken his spot). Kiermaier singled home Cavan. Paul DeJong singled to load the bases. A Merrifield ground out scored Kirk. Belt walked to load the bases. Schneider was the second hit batter of the inning, bringing in another run. A Springer sac fly and a Chapman single brought in a run each.

Not that it mattered, but we scored one more in the seventh. Belt doubled, and Schneider singled him home. That’s 4 RBI on the day and 5 for the series. He now has 9 hits in 13 at-bats (tying a major league record for most hits in a player’s first three MLB games. And one more in the eighth. Kirk walked and Daulton Varsho in the game because Keirmaier cut his arm on the cheese grater in center field wall. Why a cheese grater on the center field wall? Well, because that’s what they did back when that awful park was built, and you can’t change anything, even for player safety, because of history or something. Because Ty Cobb cut his arm on it. If it is good enough for Cobb, it is good enough for everyone.

The Red Sox went with a position player Pablo Reyes to pinch in the ninth. He gave up a hit and two walks but didn’t give up a run, for which I thank him. I would have had to rewrite some of this.

The Jays had 16 hits on the day. Schneider 4, including our only homer of the day (and was hit by pitch). Belt, Springer, Chapman, and Keirmaier each had 2. The only starter not to get a hit was Merrifield (0 for 5 with a walk). Belt had two walks and Kirk had 2 walks and was hit by pitch.

Chris Bassitt wasn’t sharp, but he got the outs when needed. He gave up 7 hits and 3 walks but just 1 run, a Triston Casas home run.

He did want you want from a starter in a blowout, pitched deep and didn’t let the Sox think they had a chance.

Bowden Francis pitched the eight. Jay Jackson the ninth.

Jays of the Day: Bassitt (.146 WPA) and Chapman (.126) were the only two to get the number, since the team spread out the hits.

No one gets the Other Award. DeJong had the low number -.036.

Tomorrow the Jays are in Cleveland to start a four-game series. Ryu starts for the Jays. Gavin Williams (1-3, 3.38 ERA in 8 starts) goes or the Guardians.