Toronto Blue Jays Highlights & Lowlights: Pitching Falters in Second Straight Loss

Dustin Reddon May 16, 2017

 

Despite a great effort on the sticks, The Toronto Blue Jays the pitching just wasn’t good enough, leading to an 9-5 loss to the Braves.

 

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Following the end to their five-game winning, the Jays would look to bounce back this afternoon against the Atlanta Braves. In search of a final victory in front of the hometown fans before departing on a seven-game road trip, Marco Estrada (2-2 3.12 ERA) would take the mound. Standing in the Jays way would be lefty Jaime Garcia (1-2 4.33 ERA). Here’s how it all played out.

 

 

Toronto Blue Jays:  9 R, 15  H,   E
Atlanta Braves:  5 R,  7 H,  1 E

 

Lineups:

 

Blue Jays

 

Braves

 

Highlights

 

The Blue Jays offense finally ignited the second time through the order. None other than Kevin Pillar would get things started, doubling to start the bottom of the fourth. Following Bautista and Morales groundouts the two out rally would begin. A Justin Smoak walk set the table for Devon Travis. Travis tacked on to his league lead in doubles in May hitting his 11th of the month. The double scored both Pillar and Smoak, bringing the Jays to within one. Travis wasn’t done there, hitting yet another double in the bottom of the sixth to put his total to 12 doubles in May. The twelve doubles is the most in franchise history in May by a second baseman

 

The Jays bats would continue to roll in the fifth and sixth inning. Kevin Pillar was responsible for the Jays lone run in the fifth with a solo jack. Superman was incredible again on the day, finishing with a line of 2 for 5, 2 R, with an RBI.

 

The bottom of the sixth was when the Jays were able to tie things up for the first time since the bottom of the first. A Justin Smoak walk followed by the aforementioned Devon Travis double put runners on first and third with one out. A Darwin Barney single and Ezequiel Carrera ground out scored both Travis and Smoak, locking things up at 5.

 

Despite terrible at the dish since being recalled, Luke Maile has at least been excellent defensively. In the top of the 7th inning, it would show again. Freeman would get on base with a single and take off for second. A breaking ball down and in presenting a tough throw for Maile, but he’d deliver another strike to second. The throw was just late, however, Devon Travis held his glove against Freeman whose foot would momentarily pop off of the base, registering the out, and giving Maile another caught stealing.

 

Lowlights

 

Marco Estrada would get down early again in his second straight start. Starting with a leadoff bunt single by Ender Inciarte (his third of the year), the Braves followed up with a double from Brandon Philips and a two-run single off the bat of Matt Kemp. The rough first inning would not only see the Estrada give up 2 runs, but also throw a whopping 34 pitches. Averaging just over 101 pitches per outing, the change-up artist was in trouble early.

 

Despite a great second and third inning that would balance out his pitch count throwing only 15 pitches combined, Estrada struggled through the rest of the outing. In the fourth, a Tyler Flowers single scored after advancing on a Danny Santana ground out and on a Jace Peterson single. He would then follow up allowing two runs in the fifth giving up a two-run homer to Freddie Freeman. A quiet sixth would be it for Estrada, who left the game with a line of 6 IP 8 H 5 ER 5 SO and 1 HR.

 

The Blue Jays bats struggled to start the game against Jaime Garcia. The first time through the order the Toronto Blue Jays were unable to get a single hit, and not a single ball out of the infield through the first three innings.

 

The bats eventually breaking through, it was the pitching that continued to let the team down. Danny Barnes entered the game in the top of the seventh to replace Estrada, the game now tied. Barnes, who has been excellent of late, didn’t stay that way and as a result, the game wouldn’t stay tied for long. Barnes gave up the tiebreaking run on 405 foot Dansby Swanson solo shot.

 

In the bottom of the eight the Blue Jays would find themselves in a prime position to tie things up with runners on first and second and none out. For some reason, John Gibbons would decide it would be a great idea to have Devon Travis (yes the same Devon Travis who leads the league in doubles in May and had two on the day) to lay down a bunt. Travis would fail to execute, striking out, only to be followed up by Darwin Barney lining into a double play. And people think home runs are rally killers……..

 

Things would only get worse from there, with Joe Smith and Roberto Osuna combining for an incredibly poor ninth inning. Smith would start off the inning giving up singles to Swanson and Inciarte. Brandon Philips then grounded into a double play, bringing Freeman to the plate with Swanson on third. Gibbons then intentionally walked Freeman to get a matchup he wanted between Roberto Osuna and Matt Kemp. Kemp continued to slay the Jays, doubling in both runs, increasing the lead to 8-5.

 

Noteworthy

 

Today was a busy news day in Blue Jays land. Things started off with a bunch of injury updates:

https://twitter.com/DaltonPompey/status/864575616783446016

 

The Toronto Blue Jays also made a couple of roster moves prior to today’s early start and decided on their upcoming rotation.

 

 

Player of the Game:

 

 

 

 

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Dustin Reddon

A group benefits consultant by day, Dustin is sports fanatic who loves talking sports more than anything. A self-glossed stats geek, he loves diving into the numbers behind the game. A proud father of 2 amazing kids, Dustin was born in Calgary, and now lives in Morinville.

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