Jays Win in Extra Innings

Red Sox 3 Blue Jays 4 (13 innings)

What a great game.

Whit Merrifield is my favourite person on the planet now right now.

Bottom of the 10th, George Springer on second. Bo lined one hard, but Justin Turner first made the catch. Then Vlad was intentionally walked. Davis Schneider lined one to left. I was sure that won us the game, but it found a glove. Santiago Espinal topped one

that died 15 feet from the plate and reached. Bases loaded for Whit Merrifield swung at a pitch 10 inches off the plate. The good news is he starts at second in the 11th.

Jordan Romano kept the Red Sox off the scoreboard in the 10th and 11th. He’s terrific in extra innings.

Bottom of the 11th: Merrifield on second, he can run (if not hit). Cavan worked a walk. But Kirk hit a soft liner, and (I apologize for saying Whit has a good baserunner) Whit was doubled off. Daulton Varsho struck out to end a chance at a win.

Top of the 12th: The other member of the Jordanaires came in, and he gave up a hit. Red Sox was up 3-2.

Bottom of the 12th: Varsho on second. He can run. I still have hope. Springer grounds out to second, Varsho to third. Life is still good. Bo flies to medium right, and the game is tied. And we got to the

Top of the 13th: Chad Green in. Fly out to right, and the go-ahead run goes to third (a perfect throw would have had him). A ground ball to Vlad (nice play) gets us two outs. Devers gets the intentional walk. A fly out to right (after what should have been strike three, but such is life) and we go to the bottom of the inning needing a run to win.

Bottom of the 14th: Vlad on second. Please score him. Davis up. Line out. Espinal grounds out to second Vlad to third (if Vlad could have scored if he could have moved up on the fly ball. Whit Merrifield reaches on an infield single and the Jays Win!

Ernie Clement is a God among men. I thought the center fielder would make the catch, but he went in when he should have stood his ground. Thankfully, he moved in on the ball, and Cavan Biggio scored. Cavan singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Clement’s double.

Vlad homers for the third straight game, yet we didn’t win.

Chris Bassitt went seven innings and allowed just four hits and two runs and that wasn’t good enough for a win. He was great, but he gave up a home run to Rafael Devers with a runner on, and because our offense is so terrible, that was enough to make the game go to extras.

Jays of the Day: Varsho (.423), Biggio (.346), Vlad (.343), Romano (.203 WPA), Bo (.201), and Green (.134).

The Other Award: Kirk (.364), Schneider (.324), Hicks (-.306, not truly fair), Espinal (-.161) and Clement (-.155).