Blue Jays 4 Mariners 8 (12 innings)
The Jays had two chances in extra innings to bring the runner from second home and couldn’t, so they didn’t deserve the win.
It was one of those games where we should have scored more. With 12 hits, you would think you could have scored more than 3 runs.
The top four in the order had 8 hits.
We scored one in the:
- First: Vlad doubled and scored on a Santander single. But Springer and Kirk followed with strikeouts.
- Fifth: Andrés Giménez hit a one-out single, stole second and scored on an Alejandro Kirk single.
- Sixth: Ernie Clement singled. Myles Straw bunted him to second, and Bo drove him home. But Vlad struck out and Santander popped out to center.
We had chances.
In the third, Vlad walkd and, an out later, Giménez singled. After Springer popped out, Kirk was hit by pitch to load the bases, but Alan Roden struck out to end the threat.
We had baserunners every inning.
Jose Berrios had a good start. He went six innings, allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, 4 strikeouts. He came out to start the seventh, surprising us, but with a RHB in front of some lefties, the plan was to have Berrios get the first out and then go with Brendon Little. Berrios gave up a home run to Ben Williamson.
Berrios got into a little argument with Cal Raleigh after the third inning, apparently thinking he was signalling pitches or, more likely, location while on second base.
Little got out of the inning with two strikeouts and a groundout.
Nick Sandlin pitched a quick eighth, a lineout and two strikeouts.
Chad Green gave up a pair of two-out singles in the ninth (both softly hit) before getting out of the inning.
Extras:
10th:
Yariel Rodriguez got the tenth with the runner on second. They intentionally walked Cal Raleigh, which I thought made things tougher on Yariel. He got Randy Arozarena to strike out. Luke Raley walked on six pitches. Then Rowdy Tellez ground one hard (109.3 mph) up the middle. Two would score, but Bo made a nice pickup and started a double play. The play of the game.
Springer started at second base. Kirk ground out to the right side to move him up, but Roden popped out, and Ernie Clement flew out to deep right.
11th:
Rodriguez is still pitching. Tellez starting the inning at second. Mariners tried to bunt him to third, but gave up after two strikes, but Rodriguez got the strikeout. Ben Williamson, who homered earlier, was next, and he popped out. J.P. Crawford ground out to first—great pitching by Rodriguez.
In the Jays half, Clements on second. Nathan Lukes up as pinch hitter, asked to bunt and put down a perfect one. He booted up and swung out of his shoes on the first pitch. And then chased well off the plate for strike three. Poor at bat. After that the Mariners intentionally walked Vlad. Smart move, Santander ground out to end the inning.
12th:
Crawford at second. Jacob Barnes in the game. A fly to center moved the runner to third. Next batter walked on a pitch right at the bottom of the zone. It was a fifty/fifty call. Cal Raleigh, who got a semi-intentional walk to load the bases. Randy Arozarena singled thru the right side to give the Mariners the lead. Barnes went to a full count on Luke Raley, but got a ground ball to Vlad, who threw home, but the throw back to first was offline. Vlad’s throw wasn’t perfect, making life tougher for Kirk. Barnes went full count on Rowdy Tellez before he homered.
Former Jays’ farmhand, Casey Lawrence, got the bottom of the inning.
Jays of the Day: Rodriguez (.614 WPA), Green (.133), Sandlin (.104) and Vlad (.130).
Other Award: Barnes (-.482), Berrios (-.152), Santander (-.241), Springer (-.233), and Roden (-.360),