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Blue Jays blew a 6-0 lead and lost the series to the Reds

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One of Toronto’s longest games of the season has come to an end, as they fell 11-7 to the Cincinnati Reds.

Of the 127 games the Blue Jays have played this season, the 3 hour and 16 minute game ranked as the fifth-longest of the season, as well as the second-longest for any game that didn’t require extra innings.

Obviously, the game was high scoring, and it even looked like the Blue Jays would coast to the series win. George Springer hit his third home run in the last two games, his 17th of the season, giving Toronto an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

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Spencer Horwitz followed that up with his eighth home run of the season three batters later, as Toronto took a 3-0 lead. Moreover, this matched Horwitz’s career-high in home runs with 12 when including the four he hit in Triple-A. He’s hit 12 home runs twice in 2021 and 2022, and hit 11 in 2023. He’s the model of consistency.

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The Blue Jays added three more runs with the swing of the bat, as Ernie Clement hit his ninth home run of the season. When Clement was signed to a minor league deal before the start of the 2023 season, he had only hit 10 home runs in over 1,000 plate appearances from 2017 to 2022. Last season, he hit 12 between Buffalo and Toronto, and is now up to nine. He’s a useful utility player for the Jays.

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However, the Jays’ 6-0 lead quickly evaporated, as Spencer Steer hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth, before the Reds had a huge five-run inning in the top of the sixth to give them a 7-6 lead, capped off by a bases loaded walk to former Blue Jay Santiago Espinal.

Back-to-back home runs were given up by Erik Swanson in the top of the sixth, before Elly De La Cruz scored on a balk + double from Tyler Stephenson, giving Cincinnati an unneeded insurance run.

Elly De La Cruz, who became the only shortstop with 20 home runs and 60 steals in MLB history, also hit his 22nd home run of the season late in the game. The Blue Jays at least got that run back in the bottom of the ninth, as Leo Jiménez hit a double to score Spencer Horwitz to give us the 11-7 final.

Diving into the stats…

The bats were hot in this game. After hitting five home runs in last night’s game, the Blue Jays quickly hit three home runs in the first three innings of Wednesday’s game. George Springer continued to hit the ball well, while Buffalo Boys Ernie Clement and Spencer Horwitz also hit homers.

There were quite a few doubles as well, as Horwitz hit his 12th double of the season, Clement his 17th, Leo Jiménez his ninth, and Brian Serven his first. Daulton Varsho, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Davis Schneider had the three singles in this game. With seven of Toronto’s 10 hits being of the extra-base variety, you’d expect a win, but pitching let them down.

Yariel Rodríguez started the game and had four good innings, giving up just two earned runs with six strikeouts and a walk. However, the start of the fifth inning was disastrous for the 27-year-old, as he gave up three singles and a pop out, before Brendon Little allowed his two other runners to come in. Overall, Rodríguez finished with a line of 4.1 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

Little was tagged with the loss, pitching a third of an inning while giving up two runs, only one earned. Leo Jiménez had a chance for the Jays to get out of the inning, but mishandled the ball trying to get the force out at second.

Erik Swanson struggled, giving up three earned runs with two long balls. Génesis Cabrera and Chad Green both pitched scoreless innings, while Zach Pop allowed an earned run in two innings of work, along with striking out three.

The Blue Jays return to action on Thursday and welcome the Los Angeles Angels for a four-game series. Toronto has a 59-68 record, while the Angels have a 54-73 record. If the Angels were to sweep this series, it would give the Blue Jays higher odds to win the draft lottery during the winter meetings. Tomorrow’s starter is yet to be determined, with a start time at 7:07 PM ET.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.