Life not so grand for lowly Blue Jays
Osuna flames out again in ninth before Cards’ Carpenter launches slam to win it in extras
ST. LOUIS — Apparently nothing will come easy for the 2017 Blue Jays.
And as ugly as things have been through the worst start in franchise history, the opener of a doubleheader Thursday at Busch Stadium may have been the most unsightly yet.
Comfortably on their way to what appeared to be a nice win — they were leading 4-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh — the struggling ball club just couldn’t stand a whiff of prosperity. And instead of their first win in successive games this season, a late-inning collapse resulted in a 8-4 extra-innings loss to the Cardinals.
The big damage came on a tworun Randal Grichuk home run in the bottom of the ninth as Roberto Osuna continued to show he’s well off his top form.
Not enough to turn your stomach? Stay tuned.
After Kolten Wong belted a leadoff triple to the right-field corner off reliever Dominic Leone in the bottom of the 11th, the next two Cardinals — Grichuk and Dexter Fowler — were intentionally walked to load the bases.
When Matt Carpenter came to the plate with one out, he rocked a J.P. Howell pitch deep to right field for a walk-off grand slam and a bitter feeling to the Jays loss.
There are concerns throughout the lineup, but no more than with Osuna, who has now blown three saves in six attempts. It all added up to a loss that will have to hurt as much as any the Jays have suffered this year as their record dipped to 6-15 after the first game of the double-hitter and fell even further to 6-16 after losing the nightcap 6-4.
The latest Osuna implosion spoiled a solid effort from Jays starter Mat Latos, who went six shutout innings and left with the Jays leading 4-0.
The Jays had ample opportunity to take care of business well before it became closer time. They had the bases loaded with none out in the seventh and managed just one run on a Justin Smoak sac fly. In the ninth, they had runners on first and second with none out.
In total, they left nine runners on base.
Catcher Russell Martin got the Toronto offence started with a solo home run, his third of the season, in the second inning.
The Jays added two more in the top of the sixth when Cards starter Carlos Martinez issued three walks and Ryan Goins drove in a pair with a two-out single.
Double down
The Jays lobbied unsuccessfully to the Cardinals and MLB to have Wednesday’s rained-out game replayed next month rather than as part of Thursday’s doubleheader.
There were several reasons, most notably Thursday’s double dip came at the end of a seven-game road trip that included an overnight flight from California Monday and a pair of extra-inning games.
From a competitive standpoint, the Jays also would have benefitted if a later makeup date included an opportunity to have Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki in the lineup and Aaron Sanchez facing the Cards rather than Latos or Casey Lawrence.
Quick pitches
Sanchez’s recovery from minor surgery to repair a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand has progressed to the point where he’s a possibility to start at home Sunday.
Sanchez is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday and, if all goes well, will get the start to end the weekend series against Tampa Bay.