No starter is scheduled for that final game, and if Buehlre needs one or two more frames, he could get the ceremonial nod.
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That is not something witnessed in this sport too often, and it is a testament to the genuine affection the game holds for the plain-spoken 36-year-old Missouri native. And once he took a seat on the bench, catcher Dioner Navarro plunked his hefty frame on Buehrle’s lap for a really big hug.
On Saturday, closer Roberto Osuna blew a one-run lead in the Rays’ 4-3 walkoff win. The Blue Jays are competing with the Royals for the right to home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in the American League.
“We talked about that a little bit today, if there’s any consideration to the one we were going to start at home, would that be a factor?”
“They wanted me to throw just because of personal awards and I could care less about those”, Price said.
“I’ll be ready if something happens, hopefully it doesn’t”. “I got about 400 text messages today from friends who are like, ‘Sad to see you go, to be retiring.’ And I’m like, ‘What’s going on here?’ Apparently I’m done and what a way to go out”.
Teams heading into the postseason usually trim their starting rotation to four from five.
A pitching staff featuring Price, Marco Estrada, Marcus Stroman and R.A. Dickey, meanwhile, gives the team excellent balance.
Buehrle threw 6 2/3 innings on Friday night to approach the milestone, which has only been done four times before in major-league history.
But Gibbons didn’t care about the reaction of outsiders. Their commitment to their clients, their expertise in the field and their common sense approach to marketing, advertising and communications made them an ideal fit for our needs. Buehrle, who will not be on the playoff roster, could not get out of the first inning of a 12-3 loss. “The body, the arm, and when it came up during the game, we said let’s go ahead and get him out”. “It’s important to Buehrle”. His advice to his less-experienced teammates?
The Jays finished with a 93-69 record. It was the seventh time in eight years that they have won the season series with the Jays.
Later in the inning, an error by Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who could not squeeze a soft line drive stroked by Steven Souza Jr., scored the game’s first run.
Tim Beckham drew a two-out bases-loaded walk and Joey Butler hit a grand slam on an 85 miles per hour offering – the fastest of Buehrle’s 45 pitches – to make it 6-0.
Asked to pinpoint one game from the 2015 season that will stick in his mind, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons didn’t hesitate. Neither is losing two of three in the regular season series finale.
“It’s been a long season, man”, Archer said. The Rangers won the AL West on Sunday with a 9-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, eliminating the Angels from playoff contention. Game 3 is next Sunday at Globe Life Park in Arlington with Game 4 (if necessary) on October 12.
It’s more than likely that the teams will split the games in Toronto and Texas, setting up an intriguing Game 5 with a berth in the ALCS hanging in the balance.
Texas right-hander Yovani Gallardo has also been practically unhittable against Toronto this season. After fourteen straight seasons throwing 200 innings or more for the White Sox, Marlins, and Blue Jays, Buehrle came just an inning and a third short of a fifteenth consecutive season, which is the most of any active player.
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“Tough last couple days, but we’re feeling good right now”, Gibbons said. “I guess you could say us and Texas are probably the two hottest teams the last two months”.
