>INSIDE ON JAYS-CUBS
Wrigley like home for Happ but fielding lapse costly before big Jay fan contingent
Blue Jays fans invade Wrigley Field, but see rally fall short in 7-4 loss to open weekend series with Cubs,
CHICAGO— Blue Jays fans had Wrigley Field rocking during batting practice and again in the eighth inning when Toronto made it close, but the end result was a disappointing 7-4 loss to the World Series champion Cubs on Friday afternoon.
Losing pitcher J.A. Happ felt the love on his way out to warm up before the series opener.
“For them to kind of invade Wrigley like that was pretty awesome,” Happ said. “You could definitely tell we had a large contingent on our side. That was nice.”
After a 1-2-3 first, the game turned in the Cubs’ favour in the second inning. It seemed fitting that the turning point came when Happ — who grew up watching a lot of Cubs baseball in this ballpark and on TV from nearby Peru, Ill. — was caught being a spectator.
In the second, with runners on second and third, Jason Heyward hit a sharp groundball at first baseman Justin Smoak as he ranged towards second. Smoak thought briefly about the runner dashing home, but decided to take the out at first. Only Happ was watching Smoak and had not headed over to cover first base.
“I think when that was hit, my mind read (second baseman to first),” Happ shrugged. “So that little hesitation cost me. That was it for getting over there.”
Javy Baez then singled to right scoring a run, with Heyward stopping at third. But right fielder Jose Bautista’s quick throw directly to second base caught Baez in a rundown, eventually nailing Heyward at the plate for the third out.
Happ entered with a three-game winning streak and had a 2.19 ERA in 242⁄ innings over his previous four
3 starts. Against the Cubs, Happ al- lowed five runs on nine hits in five innings, throwing 103 pitches.
“The second inning was kind of tough of swallow,” Happ said. “Those balls kind of found a way in there. I’m disappointed to only go five, but execution-wise I thought it was probably a good game.”
It was also a homecoming in a way for Jays catcher Miguel Montero, a World Series hero in October and a bad teammate drummed out of town in July. Montero went 2-for-4, scored a run and threw out a potential base stealer.
“It was a tough game. I have a lot of good memories here and I knew it was going to be a challenge,” Montero said. “I was nervous early in the game — (I wasn’t even nervous) in my debut in the big leagues. It was different emotions, but at the end of the day all we were looking for is to win the ball game and we didn’t do it.”
The Jays had taken a first-inning lead with two out, when Smoak doubled into the right-field corner and Steve Pearce drove him home with a single. But for the Jays, against Jake Arrieta, there was not much else until the seventh. They trailed 5-1 into the eighth inning against Pedro Strop.
The Jays made it a one-run game, with an RBI double from Kevin Pillar and a two-run single by the RBI machine that is Ryan Goins.
The two RBIs give Goins 47 for the year, a career high. He is now 25-for-73 (.342) with runners in scoring position.
Ezequiel Carrera pinch-hit for Darwin Barney to end the eighth, leading to an odd defensive alignment to end the game — Carrera in right field, Bautista moving to third base and Josh Donaldson pushing Goins to second. It was only Donaldson’s second big-league appearance at short.
Roberto Osuna was not available had the Jays needed a closer. He came to the ballpark in the morning but went back to the hotel with a high fever and flu-like symptoms.
Also Friday, manager John Gibbons suggested that after 75 pitches for Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, Joe Biagini is ready to come back to the Jays in a starting role.