Another close game had the potential for heartbreak, but the Jays hung off for a walk-off win in extra innings as they defeated the Orioles 4-3. Though the Jays struck early, Gausman limited the damage in the first, and managed to keep the Jays from mounting rallies throughout the evening. Though the Jays got eight hits off Gausman, their struggles scoring runners continued, as they stranded several runners against the hard-throwing Orioles starter. Gausman ended up going six-and-one-thirds innings, striking out four batters and walking two, allowing three runs, with only two of them earned (even if the unearned one was because of his own error). The Orioles bullpen threw zeroes up until the tenth inning, when Edwin Encarnacion walked it off with a home run to right field.
Marco Estrada started off very well, retiring the first ten Orioles batters he faced. The Orioles got to him in the fifth inning, as Jonathan Schoop broke both the no-hitter and the shutout with a home run to left field. He ended up going six innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out eight. His change-up was excellent, though he did walk four batters. The Orioles seemed to figure him out by the sixth inning, though he finished strong when they threatened to break the game open, striking out the last two hitters he faced. The Blue Jays bullpen was excellent, throwing four shutout innings prior to EE’s walkoff.
Top Play of the Game by WPA
The extra innings didn’t last long, mercifully, as Edwin Encarnacion came up with nobody out in the tenth inning, and promptly hit a home run. The final play of the game increased the Jays’ chances to win by 36.3%, and secured the victory.
Bottom Play of the Game by WPA
The game was tied 3-3 in the eighth inning, and Devon Travis came up for the Jays with runners on the corners and two outs. His ground ball out ended a potential chance for the Jays to take the lead, lowering their chance to win by 10.6%.
Zeke Provides an Early Spark
With Bautista sitting the game out because of his injury, it meant a rare start in right field for Ezequiel Carrera. He made his presence known quickly, bunting to get on base, and advancing two bases on the throwing error by Gausman. Fans of small ball would have liked Carrera’s later at-bats: he advanced Darwin Barney on another bunt in the seventh inning. Carrera’s contributions were a nice surprise with Bautista watching from the bench.
Storen Puts up Zeroes
The collective blood pressure of Blue Jays fans probably spiked when they saw Drew Storen jogging out for the tenth inning, but the embattled Jays’ reliever threw a clean inning against the Orioles 1-2-3 hitters, inducing three weak ground balls, shattering the bat of Adam Jones in the process. With the turmoil the Jays’ bullpen has had this season, hopefully Storen can continue to have solid outings.
Trend to Watch
Coming into this game, the recent trajectory of two Jays’ hitters were worth watching. Russell Martin has slowly started to pull himself out of his season-long slump, OPSing a tidy .838 in the last seven days prior to his one-hit game tonight. Edwin Encarnacion had struggled in June, though the walk-off tonight was a great sign. With Bautista dinged up and Troy Tulowitzki hurt, the Jays could use one of EE’s patented hot streaks.
Up Next
Tomorrow’s day game begins at 1:07 PM ET. The Jays send J.A. Happ (6-3, 3.57 ERA) to the hill, and he’ll be opposed by Mike Wright (3-3, 5.14). Happ is coming off a rare bad start, allowing six runs over five innings in a loss to the Tigers. Wright lost his lone start against the Jays this season, and is someone the Jays have generally enjoyed hitting against, to the tune of a 9.45 ERA in 2015.
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