Another Loss

Blue Jays 1 Tigers 2

Well, Jose Berrios was terrific again. 7 innings, 7 hits, no walks and 5 strikeouts. The one bad moment was Kerry Carpenter's home run in the first inning. Other than that, he was great. He deserved better.

The offense was terrible. Just 6 hits and 3 walks. There were moments that could have changed the game, but we couldn’t get the hit:

• In the third, Kevin Kiermaier hit a one-out triple. A team that is not hitting needs to score that run, but Davis Schneider struck out when he needed to make contact. He didn’t need a hit, but he needed contact. Kiermaier is fast, and he can score on a lot of things. And then Justin Turner (batting second?????) ground out.
• In the fifth, Alejandro Kirk and Isiah Kiner-Falefa started the inning with singles. But Ernie Clement lined out (not a bad swing, just found a glove) and Kiermaier, the at-bat after the triple, strikes out. Davis Schneider walked to load the bases, but Justin Turner (you know if you have that one guy hitting way too high in the order, he’s going to come up in big moments time after time) struck out.
• In the seventh, We did get a run. IKF walked with one out. Ernie Clement reached on an error (ground ball to third, the throw to first was almost perfect, maybe a little softer than you would like, but right on target, the first baseman missed the catch). Runners on the corners. Kiermaier takes three straight balls. The fourth pitch he takes. We could debate this, but it was a fastball darn near the middle of the zone. In that spot, I think you have to give Kiermaier a choice (and maybe they did, and he took it on his own); after that swinging strike (the ball was above the zone, why take the other and then swing at the ball four?) and a foul ball. Then, a pop-up (on a pitch off the inside corner). After going up 3-0, I expected better. Schneider doubled in our lone run of the day. But Turner, up for the third time in a big spot, ground out.
• In the eighth, Vlad started us off with a line-drive single (108.4 mph off the bat). But Bo swung at the first pitch and hit into a double play. A pitch on the inside corner. Oh well.
• And then, in the bottom of the ninth, IKF hits a one-out double. Clement flew out to the left (353 feet), and Isiah moved up to third. Danny Jansen came in to pinch hit for Kiermaier (against a lefty) and struck out chasing off the outside corner.

We deserved better. Berrios deserved better.

Jays of the Day: IKF (.260 WPA), Davis (.105) and I’m giving one to Berrios (.061) because he was so good.

The Other Award: Turner (-.267, 0 for 4, k), Bo (-.243, 0 for 4), Jansen (-.127, all for the pinch-hit appearance), and Clement (-.124).

I generally don’t care all that much about the battering order; we know that it doesn’t make much difference. But Turner batting second is unexplainable. Turner is 3 for his last 41 now. I’d rather have IKF in that spot (or anyone else really).

Tomorrow, Kikuchi (2-4, 2.64) will face Casey Mize (1-3, 4.57 in 9 starts).