Game 6 - Jays @ Astros Apr 2nd Game Recap
Everything Works Out In The End
I’m going to be honest. I spent 8 innings thinking about how to say the same thing yet again. The Blue Jays pitchers have to play inch-perfect for an entire game. What will change with the bats over the next 2-3 weeks that suggests this team can be dangerous in this division? Where are the reinforcements going to come from? There are pitching reinforcements, but what bats are on the way? The team seems to think internal improvement will get the job done, but all I see is more of the same from last year and more of the same in each poor hitting game this season.
I watched Berrios get pulled from the game after giving up a hit. He had given up one run and had pitched a great game up to that point. The fact that the offense can’t get a runner past second and then seeing the starting pitcher become the victim of inept bats is infuriating. Then David Schneider comes to the plate against the Astros very high-priced closer and hits a 2-run Home Run to take the lead.
The Blue Jays win 2-1 and earned themselves a rubber match tomorrow afternoon.
But……
Did any of my questions go away?
I’m glad they won. The Blue Jays have bought some time to figure it out. They are one game closer to their home opener and one game closer to hopefully getting out of this offensive slump THE ENTIRE LINEUP is going through. This is my real takeaway from this game. Their problems outshine a win, and all that happened tonight was the Advil kicking in, taking the edge off the headache, but the headache is still clearly there.
Also, why does every pitcher the Blue Jays run into have to have the most Cy Young night of their career? I know the bats are as cold as the Northwest Territory right now, but for every pitcher, every game, Cy Young, Satchel Paige, and Sandy Koufax are spinning balls at the Jays’ lineup.
Season (3-3) Player of the Game: David Schneider (1)
Season PotG: WINS: Biggio (1), Turner (1) LOSSES: Springer (2), Varsho (1)
The Rest of the East
Tampa Bay (3-3) - This was a classic Rays win, with good pitching and just enough offense to finish the job.
Baltimore (3-2)—Wow, the Royals shut down the Orioles. Three hits and one run in only one inning when the Orioles sent five hitters to the plate. I wish I had been able to watch this live. I’d like to see the batters during the game. Did they look confused? Sometimes, the other team has a great day, and the Royals pitchers did just that.
New York (5-1)—It seems the Yankees have their own lineup problems. If Soto and one of either Volpe or Cabrera are not hitting, the lineup can be shut down. At what point does Stanton, Rizzo, and Judge's not hitting become a concern? The Diamondbacks played a well-played game. Gallen threw an ace game, and the bats were alive from the beginning. Tip your cap, but the Yankees might have some slow bats of their own to worry about.
Boston (4-2) - The Red Sox beat Oakland—dreadful looking game. The stadium looks sad, the lighting is sad, and the crowd is not there, but I understand why they aren’t. I’m impressed with those who still call themselves fans of the club. They have been treated so poorly. The Red Sox have gotten off to a sneaky 4-2 start to the season, and I still have no idea their team identity. They have not looked scary in any particular phase but are getting wins. So, I hold any judgment for now and say congrats on the good start.
Side Note: Late baseball on the West Coast is the worst. As a Toronto fan living on the West Coast, it’s perfect. Games are at 4, done before 7, and I’m going to dinner. If I were a regular Dodger/Angels fan, I would never see the end of games.
