Late hits overcome a rough start
Jays lose Estrada in first, but bullpen and bats combine for victory
Manager John Gibbons had a good feeling going into Tuesday night’s game against the New York Mets.
“I don’t know what it was,” Gibbons said. “Then they went up 6-1 and ... it doesn’t feel quite as good but there’s still a chance. Great ball game.”
The Mets and Jose Bautista, on his return to Toronto, had a five-run lead midway through the game but the Jays rallied late for an 8-6 win, thanks to a five-run seventh and a two-run homer from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the eighth.
On the dark side, the Blue Jays lost starter Marco Estrada after just one-third of an inning to left hip soreness.
Estrada’s premature exit came after just 12 pitches. He had already given up a pair of runs, walking Bautista and surrendering a home run to second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera. Jake Petricka and Preston Guilmet continued that trend, Petricka giving up a two-run homer to catcher Devon Mesoraco in the second inning and Guilmet allowing a solo shot to designated hitter Wilmer Flores in the fourth.
It took Toronto until the fourth to get the first of its seven hits but the offence took off as the bullpen, which used all seven of its available relievers, began to shore up.
Bautista, who went 1-for-2 with three walks, came up with a stellar defensive play in the second, robbing Russell Martin of extra bases with a diving catch that was greeted with audible gasps and rousing applause, one of a few on the night for him from the crowd of 24,010. But an error by the 37year-old veteran spurred the Jays’ late rally: a single by his replacement, Randal Grichuk, in the seventh skipped past Bautista on the familiar turf and advanced the runner to third. Shortstop Lourdes Gurriel Jr. cashed in the run with an RBI groundout off New York reliever Anthony Swarzak. Dev- on Travis, Curtis Granderson and Teoscar Hernandez then walked, doubled and walked in sequence, with the second baseman scoring on a wild pitch before birthday boy Yangervis Solarte hit a three-run homer off right-hander Robert Gsellman.
Gurriel’s fourth dinger of the season sealed the deal for Toronto in the bottom of the eighth.
“We just tried to stay in the game, tried to do the little things,” said Solarte, now 31.
Estrada, considered a possible trade chip for the Blue Jays given his expiring contract, was on his way for an MRI following the game, Gibbons said.