Stroman back in top form for Jays
For his previous two starts, the usually popular Stro Show was playing to mixed reviews.
Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman had surrendered three home runs in each of two consecutive losses, a notable step back for the Jays right-hander, who had won his six previous decisions.
On Wednesday, Stroman emphatically returned to shutdown mode to lead the Jays to a much- needed 4- 0 win over their divisional nemesis Baltimore Orioles.
Stroman was borderline brilliant, going 7.2 shutout innings as he didn’t allow a Baltimore runner in scoring position. It was Stroman’s longest outing since his complete game effort on April 23 as he improved his record to 8-4.
Solo home runs from Jose Bautista and Justin Smoak provided the run support as the Jays won for just the third time in 11 meetings.
The Jays are well aware that they need to do some damage against AL East opponents to make any headway in the standings. Improving to 13-20 against divisional opponents was an important step.
Getting Stroman back on the form that saw him earn MVP honours at this spring’s World Baseball Classic is another important step. And the precocious righty was dealing on Wednesday.
“Generally he moves on from his last start,” Jays manager John Gibbons said prior to Wednesday’s game. “He’s very focused. They’re all going to get roughed up every now and then — it’s hard to dominate. Nobody has those years where they just run it.”
It was certainly a solid bounceback effort for Stroman, who had allowed six of his 13 home runs this season in those last two outings. The most recent of those, this past Thursday in Texas, he matched a career high in allowing seven earned runs.
On Wednesday, however, Stroman was strong and solid with his location as he struck out eight and induced 12 ground ball outs as he scattered just five hits. The feisty Jays starter seemed to get stronger as the game went on, throwing a 94 mph fastball in the eighth.
And for bonus good news from the pitching staff, Roberto Osuna continued to work at putting his anxiety issues behind him. The Jays closer worked a perfect ninth, striking out the side and the heart of the Orioles order.
GAME ON
It was a timely ( and deep) 430- foot homer to deep centre for Smoak as it came some 30 hours before the deadline for All- Star Game voting. It was also the big Jays first baseman’s 21st of the season, a career- high for the 30- yearold ... Bautista’s opposite-field blast in the first was the Jays first leadoff homer of the season. It also marked RBI number 737 for Bautista putting him in solo fourth in club history. When he added another on a fielder’s choice in the fourth, Bautista moved to just two behind George Bell for third ... Nice night for Jays left fielder Steve Pearce, who had base hits in each of his three at bats ... The Jays have a chance to capture a series win for the first time in five with a victory in Thursday’s rubber match vs. the Orioles. The Jays’ J. A. Happ will face Baltimore’s Ubaldo Jiminez ... After Stroman allowed a two- out single to Seth Smith in the eighth, Danny Barnes walked Manny Machado. Smith moved to second, the farthest a Baltimore baserunner advanced.
ROTATING ROTATION?
The Jays were enthused by Aaron Sanchez’s 66- pitch rehab start Tuesday in Bradenton, Fla. Gibbons, who talked to Sanchez after the game, figures Sanchez will need just one more start before rejoining the rotation.
“I talked to him last night and there are no issues at all with the finger which is the most important thing,” Gibbons said of the blister that has dogged Sanchez since the start of the season. “He’ll make his next start and if that goes well, we’ll have him back.”
Gibbons said that Sanchez will likely bump his pitch count up to 80 for the next start, building to his return to the big team.