Blue Jays throw one away in extras
Reliever Biagini surrenders winning run in the 10th against Baltimore on Josh Thole’s passed ball
— When games used to reach the bottom of the ninth with the score tied, Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda used to yell down the Los Angeles Dodgers dugout:
“We got ’em now ... we get two atbats for every one they get.”
The first-place Baltimore Orioles didn’t score in the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Jays put up a zero in the top of the 10th, but the O’s scored with two out in the bottom of the 10th for a 4-3 win before 15,404 fans at Camden Yards.
Caleb Joseph doubled off reliever Joe Biagini, moved to third on an infield single by Joey Rickard and scored on a Josh Thole passed ball. Could Thole have been crossed up by the Rule 5 rookie, who a year ago was pitching for the double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels? Biagini walked Manny Machado before his 1-1 pitch to Adam Jones kicked toward the Toronto dugout.
From the Flying Squirrels and into the frying pan.
Changing fortunes
The Jays were in great shape with men at second and third and none out in the first — and failed to score. And in the bottom half, 24 pitches into the game, R.A. Dickey was down 3-0. Rickard reached on an infield single six pitches in, Machado doubled him home hitting a 3-0 pitch to the wall in left. After a seven-pitch walk to Adam Jones, Chris Davis singled in a run and Mark Trumbo bounced into a double-play making it 3-0. OK, after 24 pitches, raise your hand if you thought Dickey would exit with the score tied with a quality start on his log book. Dickey allowed three runs on five hits and two walks, while fanning four, lowering his ERA to 6.10.
Managing innings
When the Jays were on an innings conservation kick last season, they would bring up a starter from tripleA and push the other starters back a day. They were worried about Marco Estrada’s escalating innings total and Mark Buehrle’s decreased velocity.
Now, as they fret about the innings total of both Marcus Stroman, who has never pitched more than 166 1/3 innings, and Aaron Sanchez, never more than 133, manager John Gibbons told reporters Wednesday the Jays have discussed going to the same option this season.
“There’s a couple of guys you want to be cautious with a little; it might help more to give those guys a break when we can,” Gibbons said.
Last year, the Jays used Scott Copeland for three starts, Matt Boyd for two and long-reliever Todd Redmond for one start, while also calling up Felix Doubront from Buffalo.
“That’s probably what we’ll end up doing,” Gibbons said.
The first man into the pool would likely be Drew Hutchison, who made 28 starts last season, went 13-5 despite a 5.57 ERA, pitched 150 1/3 innings and didn’t crack the rotation this spring. Hutchison is 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA for the Buffalo Bisons. He has walked six and struck out 20 in 15 1/3 innings.
The Jays rotation includes Stroman (28 1/3 innings in four starts), Sanchez (20 innings in three starts), J.A. Happ (19 innings in three), Marco Estrada (13 innings in two starts) and R.A. Dickey (20 2/3 in four outings).
The Jays starting rotation led the majors with 95 innings pitched heading into Wednesday’s play. In second were the Chicago Cubs (92 2/3), followed by the Philadelphia Phillies (88 1/3), Washington Nationals (86 1/3), San Francisco Giants (86) and Los Angeles Dodgers (84 1/3).
Gibbons said he viewed former Chicago White Sox starter Gavin Floyd as a one- to three-inning arm.