Braves steal win from Jays
ATLANTA— Well, at least it wasn’t lost on a bad balk call.
The Blue Jays lost 4-3 to the Atlanta Braves in the 10th inning Friday night, following a throwing error by catcher J.P. Arencibia, whose errant throw into left field allowed Jason Heyward to score from third on John Smoltz Night in front of 42,488 at Turner Field.
Heyward, who crossed the plate on the balk in the sixth inning, led off the 10th with a single to right field, advanced to second on a bunt and stole third before Arencibia’s wild throw allowed him to score the winning run.
Edwin Encarnacion, at least, made sure the game wasn’t decided on a cheesy call. In his first game back from a hand injury, he prevented the “debalkle” by leading off the eighth frame with a hard-hustled double, tying the game two plays later and setting the stage for the extra-innings dramatics.
So far this season Jays fans have had considerable reason to grumble about the umpires. After Friday, they have one more.
The Braves scored what looked at the time like it could be the winning run on a questionable balk call with two out and the game tied in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Fresh from his call-up from Las Vegas, Chad Beck took the mound with one out, runners on the corners and the game tied at 2.
The hard-throwing Texan struck out the first batter he faced and looked to have his second out when he faked a throw to third, then twirled back to first to ensnare Andrelton Simmons in a rundown.
But the umpires — it wasn’t clear if it was first-base Dan Bellino or home-plate Hunter Wendelstedt — ruled Beck had advanced toward home without making a pitch and therefore committed a balk, which awards each base runner a free bag. Jason Heyward trotted home from third. Beck looked befuddled.
“It wasn’t a balk,” Jays manager John Farrell fumed, his square jaw clenched.
The league has discussed a rule change to make what Beck did a balk. MLB executives and umpires are in favour; the players are still in consideration. But nothing would take effect until next season.
But the Jays were their own worst enemy on Friday night. The Braves scored their first run on a basesloaded walk, their third on a balk and the winning run on a throwing error in extra innnings. One of those nights. It was not a sparkling outing for Kyle Drabek, who gave up only two runs but continues to struggle with his command of the strike zone. Drabek, who has the second-highest walk rate in the league (5.95/9 innings) and the second-lowest rate of throwing first-pitch strikes (48.2 per cent), walked in the game’s first run in the third inning, after he had first filled the bases on a free pass to Braves’ catcher Brian McCann. His lack of control remains his biggest stumbling block, though he’s handling it better than last season. “When he’s in the strike zone he’s got as good as stuff as anybody on our staff,” Farrell said. “But as we’ve seen, it’s the overall strike throwing and the consistency of it that will be key.” Jose Bautista tied the game with a solo homer, his16th of the season, to lead off the sixth, rocketing Braves right-hander Brandon Beachy’s 3-1 pitch high into the Atlanta night. Before that home run, Beachy had kept Jays’ bats off-balance all night. He leads all qualified pitchers with his 1.87 ERA, the only starter with an ERA below 2. The night began with a celebration of John Smoltz, the the ninetime all-star and 1997 Cy Young winner helped the Braves win the 1995 World Series. The Braves retired his number, 29, and entered him into the team’s Hall of Fame.