Mariners tee off on Jays’ Happ
TORONTO The Blue Jays’ starting rotation has sprung another leak.
This time it’s J.A. Happ, who left Thursday ’s game down 7-2 following only 31/3 innings of work. The big lefty gave up 10 hits (including two homers) as the Jays fell 9-3 to the Seattle Mariners at Rogers Centre.
Happ also lost his last start May 4 in Tampa, Fla., lasting 52/3 innings. The starting rotation was supposed to be Toronto’s strength this season and if the Jays have any chance of making the playoffs, it is supposed to be on the backs of the starters. But the starting rotation ranks 13th in the AL in ERA (5.53). The Jays have lost two straight series with the AL East rival Boston Red Sox arriving today for a threegame series.
The Mariners hammered Toronto pitching for 17 hits Thursday, including four home runs — two by third baseman Kyle Seager, who hit a grand slam in the first off Happ and a solo shot off reliever Jake Petricka in the fifth. It was Seager’s seventh career multi-homer game. Happ gave up another run in the second. After leadoff batter Jean Segura rapped a double down the left-field line, Mitch Haniger brought him home with a single. Segura went 4-for-6 with a double.
Jays catcher Russell Martin made it a three-run game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second off Seattle starter Mike Leake, who picked up the win to go 4-3.
The onslaught continued in the third as first baseman Ryon Healy homered to right off Happ to put the Mariners up 6-2. In the fourth, Robinson Cano hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Andrew Romine with the bases loaded. That was enough for manager John Gibbons, who pulled Happ for Petricka after 84 pitches.