Another thrilling late game comeback. Honestly, they’re becoming routine. Let’s go back to winning blowouts, that was fun.
Chris Bassitt didn’t have it early today. He walked one in the first, escaping a two-run homer by about a foot as Nathan Lukes made a leaping catch up against the wall for the third out. He wasn’t as lucky in the second. A hit by pitch and a walk put two on for Kyle Higashioka, who lofted a home run just to the centre field side of the left field bullpen to put Texas in front 3-0. Josh Smith followed with a double, but the next rocket Bassitt gave up, to Wyatt Langford, was just within Lukes’ reach and he brought it down for the third out.
Bassitt found his form at that point. He worked around a walk in the third, a single in the fourth, and another walk in the fifth without giving up any more runs. That kept the game close, at least. His final line, three earned on four hits and four walks while striking out four over 5.0 innings, tells the story. He wasn’t good, but he battled enough to leave with his team at least in touch.
Meanwhile, Jacob deGrom looked like Jacob deGrom. Addison Barger managed an infield single against the semi-shift in the second, and Joey Loperfido got hit to advance him into scoring position, but they couldn’t capitalize on their luck. After a quiet third, Vladimir Guerrero jr. lead off the fourth with a line double to left. deGrom struck out the next two and got a tapper to escape, though. Really, it never felt as if the Jays offence had much hope of laying a finger on him. Luckily, as is his wont, he’s not 100%, and the Rangers pulled him after five innings and 84 pitches.
Braydon Fisher and Cole Winn traded scoreles sixth innings. Yariel Rodriguez did the same in the top of the seventh. In the bottom half, though, the Jays finally got on the board. Barger singled on a line drive to right, and one batter later Alejandro Kirk knocked Robert Garcia’s pitch into the visitors’ bullpen, to close the gap to 3-2.
Mason Fluharty took the mound in the now-competitive eighth inning. He retired two batters and issued a walk before giving way to Louis Varland. The big trade deadline acquisition had his first mistake as a Jay, hanging a slider to Marcus Semien, who sliced it just over the left field wall to restore Texas’ lead to three.
Danny Coulombe came in to try to preserve that gap. Andres Gimenez, Davis Schneider, and Bo Bichette had other ideas, leading off with back to back to back singles. that plated the Jays’ third and put the tieing runner on for Vlad. Bruce Bochy understandably decided to try a different tack, calling for Phil Maton to face the Jays’ slugger. Maton walked him, loading the bases. Maton rallied to get Barger, but then lost the plot again and walked Daulton Varsho to bring the Jays within one, bases still loaded. Alejandro Kirk cleared a little bit of room, lining a ball past the shortstop to drive in two and put Toronto in front 6-5. Just to get weird, he then stole second base while Myles Straw was busy striking out on a foul tip. Ernie Clement flew out to stop the rally.
One run was all Jeff Hoffman would need to close it out. He struck out the side on 11 pitches to lock it down without breaking a sweat.
Jays of the Day: Kirk (0.485!!), Bo (0.147), Vlad (0.151), Hoffman (0.158)
Less so: Chris Bassitt (-0.130), Louis Varland (-0.193), Clement (-0.114)
We’ll be back at 3:07pm tomorrow afternoon. Eric Lauer (7-2, 2.82) will try to right the ship after his first real struggles as a Blue Jay, while the Rangers will turn to veteran lefty of their own in Patrick Corbin (6-8, 4.00). Mercifully, the game will be back on SportsNet.