BLUE JAYS STRETCH HOME STREAK TO FIVE
Blue Jay Devon Travis got it done with the leather and the lumber, socking a two-run homer in a 6-5 win over the Nationals on Friday night.
Perhaps it was Adam Eaton’s lack of familiarity with Rogers Centre sightlines. Perhaps it was the fact that he was making just his fifth appearance in right field since 2016. But in the late evening twilight on Friday, the Nationals outfielder lost sight of a high fly ball by Blue Jay Teoscar Hernandez to the warning track that bounced over the fence for a double, leaving a pair of runners in scoring position.
That misplay in non-support of Nats left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez opened the floodgates as Justin Smoak facing reliever Justin Miller and stroked a go-ahead sacrifice fly, followed by a long two-run homer by Yangervis Solarte, keying a 6-5 Blue Jays win in the first of a three-game series.
Solarte homered twice in the game, giving him a team-high14 for the season. His personal best is 18, set a year ago with the Padres.
But it seems that whenever a lead is handed over to the Jays bullpen, it’s never comfortable. Such was the case again, as a three-run lead headed to the eighth inning became a onerun victory. Aaron Loup allowed a single to Bryce Harper before John Axford came on and allowed a double and a single before escaping. Interim closer Ryan Tepera entered for his fourth save, stranding the tying run at third.
It also seems that there is much for Blue Jay Aaron Sanchez to prove every time he steps onto the field and toes the rubber. In this case, he was looking for a third quality start in a row but had not won a game at home since Sept. 27, 2016. Recall that he missed most of the 2017 season due to injury after leading the American League in ERA in 2015.
Sanchez did not break that personal home winless streak, but he did pitch at least six innings for a third consecutive start, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. He threw 104 pitches over six, a season high, and handed off a tie ball game to the ’pen.
The Nationals opened the scoring in the first, with Harper scoring from second on a looping single by Anthony Rendon.
The Nats added to the lead in the second inning on a series of batted balls that were almost caught. With one out, 19-yearold Juan Soto drove a ball up against the centre-field wall. It’s a play fans have seen Kevin Pillar make, but this time he almost made it and it fell for a double. With two away, catcher Pedro Severino pulled a soft liner through the hole that Aledmys Diaz almost caught, but it resulted in the second run.
The Jays responded in the third with three runs of their own to take the lead. After making a dazzling play in the field to end the top of the inning, second baseman Devon Travis crushed the first pitch from Gonzalez for a two-run homer. Two outs later, Solarte homered for the lead.
The victory extended the Jays’ home win streak to five.