GameDay - May 2nd
Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox
The Jays are off to a slow start in this game. The Red Sox have a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd. Kikuchi is on the mound and like Berrios, he is playing with fire tonight. 5 hits have been surrendered and 4 of those are extra base hits. The Jays are taking good at-bats but not getting any hits. Maybe the miserable weather is taking the fire out of the Jays’ bats to start this series.
Devers is at the plate and he is fighting off pitch after pitch. Kikuchi doesn’t feel like he has the stuff tonight to hang with batters for more than 6 pitches. If he doesn’t get the out yearly, the damage feels like it is imminent. At least in this case, Devers hit a huge pop out to center.
Top 5th: FINALLY!!! The Jays string some hits together to tie the game then Dalton Varsho gets a MUCH NEEDED 3-run home run. Varsho already has a double in this game and I would love it if he could get some good vibes going at the plate. I swear, i’m sitting here watching this game unable to move. I don’t get how the bats are so stymied against a team that gives up as many runs as they do. “The Red Sox pitchers are not this good!”…..except against the Jays. It’s a huge relief to see the Jays get 6 runs in an inning. We now find ourselves in the same spot as last night where we need the bottom half of the starting staff to hold the lead. I hope Schneider doesn’t leave Kikuchi in for 2 batters too long like he did last night.
Bot 5th: Here we go, the first two batters get on base. One of them a HBP with the count 1-2 and the other a hard-hit single to center. With another single, the lead is down to 2 runs and we’re leaving Kikuchi in to face Devers. Mr. Schneider, let me tell you about playing the Red Sox. This is the scenario where their power hitter gets the home run to take the lead. I don’t care it’s a lefty-on-lefty match-up.
Devers hits a long out to center that I’m not going to lie, looked like a Fenway bullpen home run off the bat. Schneider, unlike last night, is coming out of the dugout to bring in a swing-and-miss reliever. I hate feeling like this in games the Jays are winning. I get into the cycle of feeling like we’re down 4 runs, then remembering we’re up by 2 then getting “the dread” at the situation the team is in that felt inevitable even before the Jays’ defense took the field after scoring 6 runs in their half of the inning.
The Jays get out of the inning with the lead, but the score is 6-5. There is a long way to go in this game. I just hope the bats stay hot after the last inning. The Red Sox are playing at home, they will use that jersey magic they carry around to score at least 4 more runs this game.
Bot 6th: Ugh, the first batter hits a home run and the game is tied. This game, baseball that is, is so frustrating. The most frustrating part of this game in particular is that it feels like all the meatball mistakes the Jays’ pitchers throw are being hit really far. There is no such thing and the bullet grounder directly into the defense for the Red Sox. How do I get that deal for the Jays batters? Can I get it just for Springer and Varsho?
Top 7th: The Jays send 4 batters to the plate, the top of the lineup and the inning is over. This game feels like another loss. A doomer thing to say, but the baseball momentum is firmly on the Red Sox side of the field. The game is tied, I will remind you and myself.
Bot 8th: Ugh, the first batter hits a home run and the Red Sox take the lead into the 9th. I hate this game sometimes.
Cleveland Guardians @ New York Yankees
A slow start to this game but things get interesting in the top of the 3rd. Cleveland has scored a run, they have the bases loaded with one out. Gerrit Cole is on the mound for the Yankees and after yesterday’s game, the Yankees need Cole to have a game that matches how he’s been throwing the rest of the season.
It took until the 6th inning but the Yankees were able to tie the game. Cole is no longer in the game so this becomes a battle of the bullpens.
The Yankees end up getting the much-needed win. The problem for the Yankees is that they need to find ways to win games when Cole is not on the mound
Pittsburgh Pirates @ Tampa Bay Rays
Another slow starting game but the Rays were able to score Arozarena after he got a lead-off double. Pittsburgh has shown good defense and run prevention in this game. They’ve also had base runners on most of the game, just unable to get any home thru 4 innings.
Top 5th: We have a situation brewing. The Pirates have runners on 2nd & 3rd with no outs to start the inning and the heart of the order coming to the plate. These are the situations the Rays have avoided for most of the games I’ve seen them play this season.
This game is going into the 9th with the Rays up 4-1 and the best way I can describe the game to this point is smothered. The Rays have, via pitching and defense, smothered the Pirates when they get base runners. The Rays are a good team, thx, I hate it.
