With Good Pitching and Hitting, Jays Beat Orioles

Orioles 1 Blue Jays 6

I often think a good start by one pitcher leads to a good start by the next. Kevin Gausman was amazing last night. Chris Bassitt was good, until coming out of the game with what I’m expecting will be back tightness. Chris went 5 innings, allowed just 2 hits, 1 walks with 6 strikeouts and just the one run (off a double to lead off the third and a one out single). It is too bad he had to leave the game.

A lot of starters came out of games tonight, including Trevor Story from the Orioles.

On offense we had a pretty good day, scoring:

• One in the fifth: Davis Schneider took a two-out walk. Vladimir Guerrero rifled one to right center that got under the center fielder’s glove, which was called a single and an error. He hit it 115 mph….I’d have called it a double, myself. Davis scored from first.
• One in the sixth: This time it was Isiah Kiner-Falefa who got on with two-outs, this time on a single. They Myles Straw doubled him home.
• One in the seventh: Springer singled to lead off. Davis Schneider moved him to second with a ground out. The Orioles intentionally walked Vlad. But, an out later, Ernie Clement singled home Springer.
• Three in the eighth: Straw singled with one out, grounder to third. An out later, Springer walked. Then Daulton Varsho doubled them home (108 mph). Vlad followed with a liner off the right field wall (108 mph), bringing in Varsho, but Vlad got thrown out at second. I was ok with it, with two outs, getting to second would put him in scoring position.

We had 10 hits, with 6 walks. Orioles starter Trevor Rogers set a season high in walks with 4. He came out of the game with some sort of issue.

Vlad had 3 hits. IKF and Straw had 2 each. Schneider (with a walk), Kirk, France and Gimenez had 0 fors. Kirk’s going through a rough stretch, but then he’s been terrific behind the plate, so I’m ok with it.

The bullpen did the job:

• Ryan Borucki got just one out, with two walks in the sixth.
• Braydon Fisher got the last two outs, while giving up another walk.
• Louis Varland was terrific, getting four outs, two strikeouts without allowing a baserunner.
• Brendon Little was also terrific, getting three outs, one k, without giving up a baserunner (He didn’t walk a guy? Double check. Nope).
• And Yariel Rodríguez got the last two outs, giving up a soft single.

Jays of the Day: Vlad (.223 WPA, 3 hits, 2 walks), Straw (.219, 2 hits, 1 walk), Varland (.201) and Bassitt (.130, I’m hoping the injury isn’t serious).

I saw a comment that Vlad has no situational awareness. Apparently, throwing Altuve out at third in extras, helping get us out of the inning without a run scoring and then busting it down to first in the bottom of the inning doesn’t show awareness.

Other Award: Kirk (-.192) and Gimenez (-.116), who looked fine a short, not that he had any tough plays.

Everything worked well today. Let’s have more of that tomorrow when we have game two of the series. Tomoyuki Sugano (10-8, 4.51) vs. Max Scherzer (5-3, 4.36). It is a 3:00 Eastern start.