Game Day Recap - April 16th
Tampa Bay Rays @ Toronto Blue Jays
The story of this game is not the story I wanted nor expected. We all know Alek Manoah was a bit erratic to start the season. I fought his way through his first three starts and here we are against the Rays and we have seen a hit by pitch, walk, single, and walk giving up a run to start the game. Knowing the series is already won helps, but thinking that this game might be done before the Jays even get a chance to take an at-bat? Is that reasonable to think the game is done? The Rays are playing this game to avoid being swept. They want to make a statement of their own. Not to mention, when Manoah misses the zone, he misses by a foot and there have been at least a half dozen of those in the first 20 pitches of the game. Free walks lead to free runs and the Rays don’t need free runs. Oh, did I not mention that Shane McClanahan is starting for them today? We can all breathe at a normal pace in this game, the series win is secure, but I want to be competitive and not just hand over a win via the walk.
Top 1st Epilogue: Manoah almost got out of the bases-loaded jam with just one run surrendered. Shock of shocks that it was a bloop single that gave up the second and third runs. Now the Jays get to chase the Rays with their ace on the mound. Ugh, would really rather not write this on off so early, but we may have to accept that the win is blowing against us. Drop the sails and let’s hope the current can get us to where we want to go.
The game gets blown open in the top of the 5th and I think we can call this one donzo. I did not think the Manoah start would be the one loss in the series. A three-run home run makes the score 7-1. Manoah has been removed from the game and the Jays can’t seem to get more than two hits strung together. I felt bad leaving the last game in the Detroit series. Even if this game goes into the loss column, I feel much better leaving for Houston than I did with Tampa Bay coming to town.
One of the perks of fandom is that I can accept this loss and carry on with my day but the players have to keep playing the game. If they somehow pull out the win, great. This is called fandom survival and pacing that fandom over the course of the season. I would like to see some more control from Manoah in his next two or three starts. His landing is sporadic and makes his follow-thru look chaotic and inconsistent. His elbow looks like it drops from time to time and the two-seamer is a mess of movement.
Rub some dirt on this one and get ‘em next game. Rays win 8-1.
Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees
That was a signature Gerrit Cole win. The Twins got two hits and one walk. Cole struck out 10 batters and went a full 9 innings. Exceptional performance as Cole only had two runs of support from Yankees hitters who struck out 10 times on their own. The Yankee batters collectively had a negative game score. DJ LeMahieu brought all the offense they needed with 2 rbi, one of which was a home run.
The only new thing we learned was Cole can win games even when the run support is minimal. So far this season, the Yankee hitters showed up big and Cole just had to get through the other team’s lineup. Today, Cole looked like he was in control the entire game. He never faced more than 4 hitters in an inning. This was as dominant a game could be without being a no-hitter. Great Yankee win, tip your cap and hope you’re not the next team to face Gerrit Cole.
Oh wait, the Blue Jays have to face Cole, in Yankee Stadium in his next start. I will pencil that in as a scheduled loss.
