Early is back with live game notes from yesterdays come from behind win at the Rogers Centre. Enjoy!
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What a crazy game yesterday afternoon.
After yesterday’s back and forth affair which the Jays bullpen fell apart they fell apart again today, costing Brett Cecil a win in his MLB debut.
Cecil pitched 6 innings of 6 hit (5 singles) ball giving up two runs, one earned. He pitched himself out of trouble and the Tribe can blame his killed curveball for the 6 K’s Cecil racked up.
Cecil seemed to elevate his fastball and relied on his curveball and slider to get batters to chase. He could throw the curve for strikes and the slider was his chase pitch. I think he tossed the odd change in for good measure.
He didn’t walk anyone but he hit three batters, twice hitting Kelly Shoppach. This is unlikely Effective Wildness from the mind of KMan as putting Shoppach on the face Sizemore is foolish.
The Jays took the lead in the bottom of the sixth with some clutch hitting from Adam Lind leaving Cecil on the hook for his first win.
The Jays pen had a strange inning in the top of the 7th. On four singles the Indians score only a single run. After getting a force out at home Jays releiver Jesse Carlson uncorked a WP that gave the Indians the lead. The Indians would score another 2 before Brian Wolfe would close the inning.
Wolfe would get the Vulture Win as the Jays offense exploded for 7 in the bottom half highlighted by dingers by Adam Lind and Scott Rolen.
Scott Downs would retire the final 5 Indians on 16 pitches. Downs was iced the night before as he had pitched 3 games in a row over the weekend. He has been the most reliable releiver for the Jays over the last couple years.
For the Indians highly touted lefty specialist Tony Sipp was brought in to face Lind in the 7th. Before facing Lind he had faced 8 lefty batters, giving up one hit and striking out 6. He got aead of Lind with 2 strikes and 2 out but Lind crushed a 3 run shot that was the decider.
Anthony Reyes, like Cecil was cruising. The Jays had trouble with Reyes, especially the second time around where he was struck out Hill and Rios with identical pitches in the 6th.
Not unlike last night’s game this was looking like a pitchers duel (3-2 through 6) before both teams exploded on each other’s bull pens. The Indians did noth have a hit through 6 last night before crushing the Jays pen for 9 runs.
The Indians have some great hitters but with Garko and Hafner out of the lineup there seems to be no cohesion. Sizemore continued to struggle. But the tribe was a long ball away from putting this game away in the top of the 7th instead they small balled their way and left men on base.
Anyways, a wacky game, lots of school groups at the RC and it was unfortunate that they had to leave before the game was over, many left during the 7th inning rally. It is about time to open the Dome. I assume they will do mechanical work on it during the Jays California road trip and it should be open for when the Yankees visit next week.
Let’s remember that the dome is 20 years old now and it would be unfortunate if the dome stalls in the closed position. It is bad to have a beautiful spring day, like today and the weekend and have indoor baseball. If management wants the dome closed I would love to hear the reason and I think we as fans should know the reason.
The Jays are 11-4 at home. KEEP THAT SHIT CLOSED.
There have even been some rumours that the roof is broken and will remain closed all summer. That was shot down by Jays vice-president Jay Stenhouse. He insists that it is a matter of “new software and operating drives” and that the testing has not been completed. Jay said that it should be ready by the next homestand. Hopefully the next retraction will be the roof and not that statement.
That’s one way to hint at a new open air stadium. Bought and paid for by the tax payers of course.
Paul Beeston thinks of Rogers Centre as a “Domed stadium which can be opened”.