Lightning Recap: Blue Jays Take Must-Win Game 3

Posted on October 20, 2015 in Game Recap, Random Stuff
blue jays take must-win game 3

It looks like Kris was Medlen with the wrong guy. Sorry. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals, Royals lead series 2-1

Game 3: Marcus Stroman (TOR) vs. Johnny Cueto (KC) – Toronto 11, Kansas City 8

In what amounted to a must-win game (they’d have been down 3-0 in the ALCS with a loss), Toronto’s sluggers finally delivered after scoring a combined 3 runs in the series’ first two games.

Neither starter was sharp, but Cueto had an especially forgettable performance, lapsing into a reenactment of his late August/early September blues. By the time the bottom of the third came around, Stroman and Cueto had already surrendered 8 combined hits, and the score was 3-2, Toronto. But Cueto chose this moment to completely fall to pieces.

He gave up a leadoff single to Edwin Encarnacion and walked Chris Colabello on four pitches before paying dearly for those mistakes on a high fastball that Troy Tulowitzki took deep to center for a 3-run home run.

Cueto apparently later complained that the Blue Jays were stealing signs (a familiar storyline in Toronto), but got no sympathy from teammate Edinson Volquez, who said, “Johnny said [that] last night, but that’s your fault. You’ve got to hide the ball and have better communication with the catcher giving you signs when you’re pitching.”

Anyway, the bad times kept rolling for Cueto, who gave up a walk and an RBI double before getting pulled for Kris Medlen, who got 2 outs before giving up an absolute BOMB on a breaking ball to Josh Donaldson.

With a 9-2 lead, Stroman could coast a bit, and he did, giving 2 runs back in the top of the 5th before Ryan Goins gave the lead another boost with a solo shot in the bottom half of the inning.

Tulowitzki struck out in the bottom of the 7th and was thrown out of the game in bizarre fashion for arguing balls and strikes as he came out to play defense in the top of the 8th.

The Royals actually made it look closer than it was with a 4-run 9th inning that included a 2-run shot by Kendrys Morales off closer Roberto Osuna.

But it was too little, too late, and the Blue Jays get a chance to even the series at 2 wins apiece this afternoon.

Next game: Today, Tuesday, 4:07 ET, in Toronto. R.A. Dickey (TOR) vs. Chris Young (KC)

Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets

Tonight, Tuesday, 8:07 ET, in Chicago. Kyle Hendricks (CHC) vs. Jacob deGrom (NYM)

Lightning Recap: Both LCS at 2-0

Posted on October 19, 2015 in Game Recap, Random Stuff

ALCS – Royals lead Blue Jays 2-0

Game 1: Royals 5 Blue Jays 0

On Friday night Edinson Volquez spun 6 shutout innings thanks to a lively two-seam fastball. He didn’t always know where it was going (4 walks in those 6 innings) but neither did the Blue Jays’ hitters, who managed only two hits and struck out five times against Edinson.

The Royals offense was led by Alcides Escobar’s two doubles and two runs scored. This must really stick in the craw of noted L7 Weenie Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk (Correction: It was Puliot, not Calcaterra. But Crag is still a weenie) since earlier this postseason he bashed Escobar and Kansas City manager Ned Yost for batting him leadoff. Escobar has an OPS of .867 this postseason.

Game 2: Royals 6 Blue Jays 3

Poor David Price. Similar to Clayton Kershaw in last year’s NLDS, for awhile it looked like this was going to be the start that silenced all of the naysayers. After surrendering a leadoff single to Escobar, Price was dominant, retiring the next 18 men in a row.

The Blue Jays offense had also done their part, building a 3-0 lead in support of their ace. Alas, a miscommunication on a Ben Zobrist pop up was all it took for Price’s outing to come crashing down:

Once the Royals bullpen is handed a lead after the 7th, they’re not going to give it back. Royals take a 2-0 series lead heading into tonight’s game in Toronto.

NLCS – Mets lead Cubs 2-0

Game 1: Mets 4 Cubs 2

Daniel Murphy is the greatest baseball player of all time. He opened the scoring in this one with a first inning solo shot off of John Lester.

Travis d’Arnaud added a solo shot off of the apple in dead center field, and Matt Harvey allowed only two runs in 7.2 innings, striking out nine and walking two on just 97 pitches. This was obviously huge for Harvey. Given the innings limit controversy, every start is under a microscope and the Mets fans will either love him or hate him before it’s all said and done. I think it’s pretty obvious how they feel after this one.

Oh yeah, this is how this game ended:

Game 2: Mets 4 Cubs 1

Have I mentioned that Daniel Murphy is playing well right now?

For those keeping score at home, in his last four postseason games, Murphy has homered off of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, John Lester, and Jake Arrieta. I’ll repeat my earlier claim: he is the greatest ballplayer of all time.

Thor was on the mound for the Mets and was dominant, but had to leave after 5.2 innings due to a high pitch count. In that time he allowed one run and recorded nine strikeouts. He got a little help from Curtis Granderson in the top of the second when he robbed Chris Coghlan of a homer:

The Mets take a 2-0 series lead into game three in Chicago tomorrow night.

Both home teams took care of business in the LCS but, at least in basketball, they say it’s not a series until somebody loses at home.

Lightning Recap: Jacob deGrom and the Mets Advance to the NLCS

Posted on October 16, 2015 in Game Recap
jacob degrom and the mets

Look at that goddamn hair. So impressive. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Mets win series 3-2

Game 5: Jacob deGrom (NYM) vs. Zack Greinke (LAD) – New York 3, Los Angeles 2

To everyone’s relief, I’m sure, the Mets squeaked one out over the Dodgers last night, erasing any chance of L.A. riding Chase Utley’s cleat spikes to a World Series. Instead, Jacob deGrom invited his teammates to jump on his back, spread his mighty wings of hair, and flapped like his life depended on it.

Not really. Instead, Daniel Murphy (of all people) continued his torrid postseason pace by contributing to each of New York’s 3 runs. He started in the top of the 1st with a double to drive Curtis Granderson in from first base despite Zack Greinke otherwise striking out the side.

Unfortunately, deGrom looked pretty sloppy in his first inning of work, giving up 4 consecutive 1-out singles to put the Dodgers in front 2-1.

Also, quick sidenote: this has already been pointed out by people who are better and quicker on the uptake than I am, but Jacob deGrom and Taran Killam (from Saturday Night Live) have basically the same face.

Just thought I’d let you know. Anyway, now down 2-1, the Mets went in order until Murphy singled on the first pitch of the 4th inning and, in a move I haven’t seen since Little League, stole third on a walk when third base was left uncovered on the shift the Dodgers had on for Lucas Duda.

A deep sacrifice fly to right field later, the game was tied again. 2-2.

After a few tense if uneventful innings (playoff baseball at its best!), Murphy came to the plate again with 1 out in the 6th. He didn’t disappoint.

From there on, the Mets did more threatening to score than the Dodgers did – in fact, only Adrian Gonzalez reached base for Los Angeles on a 2-out, 7th inning walk drawn off newly minted reliever Noah Syndergaard.

It probably made victory a little sweeter for Mets fans when Chase Utley lined out against Jeurys Familia to start the 9th inning.

The playoffs are so fucking great.

League Championship Series

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals

Tonight, Friday, 8:07 ET, in Kansas City. Marco Estrada (TOR) vs. Edinson Volquez (KC)

Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets

Tomorrow, Saturday, 8:07 ET, in New York. Jon Lester (CHC) vs. Matt Harvey (NYM)

Lightning Recap: ALDS Conclude, Jays and Royals Moving On

Posted on October 15, 2015 in Game Recap, Random Stuff

Toronto 6, Texas 3 – Toronto Wins ALDS 3-2

Everything you need to know about this game happened in a wild, controversial, heated, 53-minute-long 7th inning.

First, with two outs in the top of the 7th, the game is tied at two with Rugned Odor at third and Shin-Soo Choo batting:

The ball is certainly in play, but it seems unfair that the umpire almost immediately signaled a dead ball, which didn’t give the Blue Jays a chance to make a play on the advancing runner. (Sidenote: I love how Harold Reynolds immediately says “Ball’s dead!” and two seconds later is saying “Why’s it dead? Why’s it dead? That ball’s alive!”)

So with the Rangers ahead 3-2 on an extremely controversial play, this happens in the bottom of the inning:

Not pictured in the above highlight – the aftermath of Joey Bats’ home run:

A few thoughts here:

  1. The Rangers could not have Schruted this any harder, blowing a 2-0 series lead and melting down with a lead in the 7th in this one, but I really feel bad for Elvis Andrus. He always seems like a good, funny dude and he had a brutal inning that ultimately led to Texas’ downfall.
  2. Kind of a dickish admiration/bat flip by Bautista, but given the emotion of the inning, I can’t really blame him. That being said, if it had been one of the Rangers that had done this, Jose would’ve had the mounties arrest him before he got to the plate.
  3. Really poor showing from the Toronto fans here. It’s one thing to throw beer cans and bottles on the field after the blown call (inexcusable, dangerous and childish, but somewhat understandable), it’s another to do it again after your team does something good, improbably and incredibly, in the franchise’s biggest game in 20 years. Clean it up, hosers.

Kansas City 7, Houston 2 – Royals Win ALDS 3-2

Houston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a Luis Valbuena home run in the second, and it looked like Johnny Cueto may once again have a largely ineffective start for KC.

People were already starting to question the decision to bring him in, to give up prospects, to put all of their chips in the Cueto basket for a half-season rental.

But then Johnny remembered who he was and starting plowing through the Astros lineup. His body language changed notably. He was swaggering to and fro. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? Doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

Doth he ever.

He retired the next 19 men in order following the Valbuena long ball.

Pitchers IP  H  R ER BB SO HR ERA
Cueto (W, 1-0) 8.0 2 2 2 0 8 1 3.86

The Royals took the lead in the bottom of the 5th on an Alex Rios chopper that went down the 3rd base line for a double, scoring Sal Perez and Alex Gordon and never looked back.

The exclamation point was this Kendrys Morales three-run bomb off of Dallas Keuchel, featuring an adorable little skip when he knew he got all of it.

So we’re all set for the ALCS: Royals vs. Blue Jays Game One tomorrow night at 7:30PM on FOX.

Tonight: Game 5 between the Mets and Dodgers for the right to play the Cubs in the NLCS, 8PM on TBS.

Thank God we live in these times.