“Get the city all fired up, they’ve been fired up but fired up even more“, said Wheeler. So what happened Friday night? “We’re going to stay with the plan and do it. Like I said, do our best to win the game”.
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“Games like this is where you see the real Johnny Cueto come out”, he said. Toronto’s hitters were expecting Volquez to pitch in. And that’s something you definitely want to stay away from. C Dioner Navarro was in the Blue Jays’ lineup, not C Russell Martin, as he developed into RHP Marco Estrada’s personal catcher….
Four-seam fastballs are straight and thrown when a pitcher is trying to hit an exact location.
Kansas City starter Edinson Volquez fired bullets through the first five innings, allowing just one Toronto hit.
Toronto managed just a Bautista walk in the first inning but made Volquez throw 24 pitches.
“That one inning in a set of three games will not define our season”, first-year manager Jeff Banister declared. They began their ALDS series 0-2 before rallying to beat Texas, and began this series by losing Game 1 without putting up much of a fight at all.
Toronto’s manager John Gibbons described it as ducking and darting all around home plate.
Price slammed the door, with 1-2-3 innings in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
In the sixth inning, Volquez was about to face the heart of the Toronto order for the third time. Salvador Perez grounds out to end the inning.
Josh Donaldson led off and saw nine pitches. And Jose Bautista doubled in a run, yelling at Madson when he was done. Jose Bautista grounds out to third base. Asked if that would be an issue, he replied: “I’m not a mind-reader, I’m not a fortune-teller, I don’t know if it’s going to be an issue”. Punish mistakes, spray balls around the big outfield and use team speed to accelerate the offence. Chris Colabello strikes out.
“I don’t think he’s gotten any better in terms of his talent, but as a professional and as a competitor, he’s gotten a lot better”, Yost said.
Volquez normally pitches in the low 90s, but his fastball was nipping at 96 miles per hour on Friday night.
Can a pitching coach get a save?
Price, who took the loss in Game 1 against Texas, says he understands why he has been shuffled to Game 2 against the Royals.
Perhaps you’re familiar with the widely held belief that Canadians are largely overly polite and respectful – not exactly a damning stereotype but nonetheless, it’s an attribute that is mocked from time to time by many here in the states. I’ve still got my work in, whether it was in the bullpen. “I mean I have a 100 per cent confidence in myself”.
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The Royals and Blue Jays have faced each other 379 times in the regular season, with Toronto winning 194 and Kansas City winning 185.
