Jays Go Downs Again

On a day when Boston and New York both lost surely Toronto would pull off a win.  You know, climb a token rung on the AL East ladder.  And when you look at the game tonight, their staff mostly did what was needed.  Mostly.

Rzepczynski looked rough to start the game, balking Ichiro over to second with none out.  Ichiro would come home to score, filling me with dread for the unravelling I have come to expect.  But the rookie settled in and actually pitched a very solid game after that (until the sixth, when, in rookie pitcher style, he started to fall apart).  He only gave up five hits and two walks, and managed eight K's (through 5.1 innings).  I'll call that a good start.

And of course the Jays offense saved themselves for late, scoring all three of their runs in the seventh and eighth innings.  This game was really defined by pitching though, and the part I'll remember most is Scott Downs, the Jays de facto closer, coming into a tie game in the bottom of the ninth and putting the first two batters on (a single and a walk).  The third batter (Chris Woodward) bunted, and with the ball rolling toward third Downs looked to easily grab it and get the lead runner.  But he missed it, so instead of one out and runners at first and second we had none out, bases loaded.

To Downs' credit he settled in after that.  The next batter grounded into an easy force out at the plate, and the one after that struck out.  But that left Ichiro to come in, two down, bases loaded.  He was two for three with a walk to that point, and as it turned out the Japanese hit production concern wasn't prepared to let up.  He hit a flare to short center field and the game came to an abrupt end.

That leaves the Jays 12.5 games back in the division.  But hey, at least they still have the best pitcher in baseball...