The Toronto Blue Jays were clicking on all cylinders Wednesday, winning the second and final game of their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4. 3-1 Blue Jays. Nobody really knows. Some pitchers get protected and they still get injured.
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The way free agent-to-be first baseman Edwin Encarnacion hits in Chase Field, it might make a comfy new home.
“That was the loudest ball I’ve ever witnessed live in a stadium, by far”, Toronto’s Marcus Stroman said. “I was under (in the clubhouse) and I ran out and saw where it landed”. It was pretty special.
It was Encarnacion’s 26th home run of the season and ninth in his past eight games at Chase. “He rakes it in this place”.
When the dust settled, five different Blue Jays had multi hit games (Josh Donaldson, Darwin Barney, Troy Tulowitzki, Kevin Pillar and Devon Travis) and every starter was on base at least once. Twelve of the 14 balls put in play that resulted in outs off Stroman were hit on the ground, and while the D-Backs did manage eight hits, seven of those were also on the ground.
“I think command of the fastball is the biggest thing”, Sanchez said.
“The couple of pitches I leave up they made me pay for”, he said. Jean Segura broke up the ideal game with a single on the second pitch of the game by Aaron Sanchez, who until tonight I thought was a star on Food Network.
It was another power display for Toronto.
“If and when it happens we’re not going to be real popular”, manager John Gibbons said.
Like Sanchez last night, Stroman allowed a run in the first inning and then nothing the rest of the way, and like we’ve seen the Blue Jay pitchers do many times this season, Stroman worked deep into the game, making it through eight wonderful innings.
Arizona manager Chip Hale wasn’t all that critical.
Asked if it took some time for him to get back in the groove after so long off, he said, “I felt like it took a little bit”. “Left the ball out over the plate to Donaldson and he hit it out”. Second, third, fourth innings, really got ahead in the count, threw a lot of first-pitch strikes and controlled the zone.
Brett Cecil was meant to be the only relief pitcher needed, but quickly allowed a pair of runners and a three-run home run to Tuffy Gosewisch.
Barney, an infielder by trade, made his first career start in left field and made two nice catches, one up against the wall. It was reported prior to the game that Michael Saunders had returned home for personal reasons but is expected to be back with the team on Friday.
Jose Bautista started his rehab assignment with a bang.
OUR PICK: The Blue Jays have won four of five in Arizona and five of seven overall against the Diamondbacks, so lay the -1.5 on Toronto today. He was out of the lineup Wednesday but was available. RH Marco Estrada (5-3, 2.93 ERA) pitches for Toronto, LH James Paxton (2-4, 4.56) for Seattle.
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Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (4-8, 5.28) tries to bounce back from a rough start against the Dodgers in the last home game before Arizona embarks on a 10-game trip.
