Limping Into The Postseason: Jays Lose 4-1

Jays 1 – Red Sox 4

Good thing the Jays clinched a postseason spot yesterday, because with the exception of Gausman, they showed up looking listless and hungover today. I’d say we should have scored more and got robbed by the umpires, but the reality is that the Jays offense returned to their lifeless ways and squandered too many chances to do damage against the Bosox. Giolito looked a lot worse than his line shows but managed to get big outs despite seeming uncomfortable on the mound most of the game. He was helped out by the Jays chasing in big at bats, unable to bring runners around.

Yoshida doubled to open the second and came home on a single by Lowe. A cross-up between Barger and Schneider on a ball that should have been the left fielder dropped in, putting runners on second and third before Narváez flew out to Lukes to end the inning. With the bases loaded in the 2^nd, Springer hit a 2-1 pitch down the line that bounced inside the line and would have scored at least two but was called foul and was then punched out on the next pitch outside the zone. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but the Jays seem to be getting victimized by some pretty awful umpiring on a nightly basis right now.

In the fourth, the Jays put men on the corners with a Lukes double and a Schneider single. A fielder’s choice drove in Lukes to tie the game, and a flare fly ball popped out of Rafaela’s glove to put runners at the corners again, but Varsho struck out to end the inning.

Gausman was cruising into the 6^th, but after a strike out, gave up a double and two singles to give up a run. With only one out, Abreau tapped a ball up the line that Vladdy went home on, and Kirk walked the runner back but held the ball for too long, allowing Rafaela to dive back to third. Fortunately, Barger made a quick play to tag him which held up under review. Up next, Narváez hit a two run double, putting the Jays down 4-1 and ending Gausman’s night. Varland got out of the inning with an awkward groundout to first.

Unfortunately, the Jays couldn’t make any headway against Boston’s bullpen, quietly finishing the night with just 3 hits. Despite the awful officiating, three hits simply isn’t good enough to get it done, bad calls or now. However, the Jays bad luck held up, as the hapless White Sox managed to contain the Yankees for eight inning and then give up the win in the bottom of the ninth. There’s no way to sugarcoat it – this was a bad looking game by a team that expects to go deep into the playoffs and the Yankees team that are 7-3 in their last ten games and facing the weakest schedule in the east.

Jay of the Day: Nathan Lukes has the lead based on a hit and two walks (.120).

The Other Award: Gausman gets dinged for his four earned runs at (-.216) but he had a solid night. It just couldn’t stand up with any offense.

The Jays face Crochet (17-5, 2.69 ERA) tomorrow against Max Scherzer (5-4, 5.06ERA) at 7:07PM tomorrow. The gambling line ain’t pretty for a first ballot hall of famer, folks.