Start to forget for Stroman
TORONTO Marcus Stroman was ready to put Friday night’s game behind him as soon as it was over.
He could say the same for much of the first month of his season.
The Blue Jays right-hander struggled again on the mound, allowing six runs — including four in the first inning — in a 6-4 loss to the Texas Rangers.
“I just need to be better overall. That’s not me,” said Stroman, his camo-coloured cap pulled down low over his head. “I can’t spot them four runs in the first. That’s very uncharacteristic of me . ... I just gotta be better. There’s no other way to put it. And I will be. I know myself.
“That’s it. Looking forward to May. I’m putting April behind me.”
Ronald Guzman hit a tiebreaking two-run single off Stroman in the sixth inning and the Rangers held on to hand Toronto its first threegame loss of the season.
Joey Gallo hit a two-run homer and Nomar Mazara drove in a pair of runs as Texas (10-17) built up a 4-0 advantage in the first inning.
Stroman rebounded from the rough start to retire 12 of the next 14 batters he faced before running into trouble again in the sixth.
Stroman allowed all six runs over eight hits while walking one and striking out four.
Steve Pearce hit a two-run double and Kevin Pillar and Justin Smoak drove in a run apiece for the Blue Jays. WASHINGTON Dwane Casey had been asked the question so many times since the post-season began: Sure the Raptors’ second unit was excellent in the regular season, but could they carry that over to the playoffs, when the arena lights are the brightest and the stars step up their games?
Friday, in the Raptors’ biggest game so far this season — and on the road — the Toronto Raptors coach and his “bench mob” answered with an emphatic yes.
Kyle Lowry scored 24 points, but it was the bench, finally complete with the return of Fred VanVleet, that came up big in a 102-92 victory over Washington. The Raptors clinched the series four games to two, and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the third straight season.
“I’m still looking for that manual that says you can’t play your second unit. They’re too young, they’re too this, they’re too that. As long as they’re productive, they’re going to play,” said Casey. “They’ve been good to us all year, and they closed it out for us tonight.”
DeMar DeRozan added 16 points for Toronto, while Jonas Valanciunas finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Pascal Siakam scored 11 in an energetic performance.
The home team had won each of the first five games of the series, the Raptors taking a 32 lead with Wednesday’s 108-98 victory at the Air Canada Centre. But Toronto was intent on preventing a Game 7.
The Raptors trailed by 12 points early, but kept their composure. Behind 78-73 to start the fourth quarter, the Raptors’ second unit galloped out to a 15-5 run, steered by VanVleet, who’d played less than three minutes in the previous five games due to a shoulder injury.
“(I felt) super comfortable,” VanVleet said. “That’s just kinda the person I am, the player I am, on the road, hostile environment. I just wanted to be a support guy out there to kinda ease the storm a little bit. Running the team and playing defence and stuff, I can do those things in my sleep. It’s just gonna take a little bit to get the scoring.”
DeRozan played just 33 minutes Friday, while Lowry played 31. A weary John Wall, who scored 32 points, and Beal (23), on the other hand, played 86 minutes between them.