Series 20: Blue Jays @ Athletics (Mon. Tues. Wed. June 5 to 7, 2017)

[hockeyfan1]

                                                    @                                                     

Place:        Oakland Coliseum      Oakland, CA




Mon. June 5
Starting Pitchers:              J.A. Happ      LH (Jays) 0-3  4.50 ERA
                                        Sean Manaea  LH (A's)  4-3    3.91 ERA
Time:                              10PM
TV/Radio:                        Sportsnet,  The FAN 590




Tues. June 6
Starting Pitchers:            Marco Estrada  RH (Jays)  4-3  3.86 ERA
                                      Jharel Cotton    RH (A's)    3-6  5.11 ERA
Time:                              10PM
TV/Radio:                        Sportsnet One, The FAN 590




Wed. June 7
Starting Pitchers:            Francisco Liriano  LH (Jays)  3-2  5.94 ERA
                                      Andrew Triggs    RH (A's)    5-5  3.36 ERA
Time:                            3:30PM
TV/Radio:                      Sportsnet, The FAN 590




Source:  MLB.com,  theStar.com

 

[hockeyfan1]

After a series split with the New York Yankees and being 2-2 at the start of the month of June, the Blue Jays now embark on a road stand beginning in Oakland against the Athletics.

A very successful May month that saw the Jays go 18-10, and a .500 start to June (in their homestead against the A.L.East's powerhouse Yankees), the Jays are seeking to even their 28-29 w/l record in reaching the .500 w/l mark.  It has appeared an elusive achievement so far but as the Jays have improved immensely since their dismal opening start in April, there is no reason to believe that they will indeed achieve it

With the Jays bats coming alive again and hitting home runs has become a matter of routine for them, Toronto is seeking to regain the success that made them a difficult opponent to play against.  With all hands on deck, the surging Jays have definitely regained their confidence. 

The schedule certainly doesn't seem to favour the Jays in this six game road trip out West, as they then will return home for a series of games and then back on the road again.  Only one day of rest after each series which will mean plenty of travelling to and fro.  How they do this month of June will most likely either deter  them or uplift them.  It can go either way.  We'll see.

GO JAYS GO!

 

[disco]

BLET'S GO BLUE JAYZ! clap. clap. clap-clap-clap.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Blue Jays 3  A's 5

Ryan Healy and his two homeruns (that drove in all five runs) was all the Oakland A's needed to defeat Jays' starter J.A.Happ and his Toronto Blue Jays.

Justin Smoak with a homer and Josh Donaldson with an RBI provided for the Blue Jays.  The Athletics were Donaldson's former team before he joined the Jays.

Game http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/ryon-healy-homers-twice-five-rbis-beat-blue-jays/

 

[hockeyfan1]

Blue Jays 1  A's  4


Not only did the Blue Jays sputter on the baspaths along with some costly defensive errors in last night's game against Oakland,  but they learned earlier that outfielder Devon Travis has been placed the DL with what looks like a bone bruise, as well as some resurfacing of knee problems (the same knee that was surgically repaired).

Travis was hit in Monday's 5-3 Blue Jays loss in which a pitch hit smack dab on the hand.  Travis was devastated considering the year he's having:

"Bone bruise: I hate that word. It sounds so simple, hurts so bad,? a shell-shocked Travis said hours after getting the news, fighting back tears along the way.

The Jays' starter Estrada was fingered for all four Oakland runs, though there wasn't much Estrada could get from his teammates, much the same way J.A.Happ felt in Monday night's lower.
That's obviously the kind of game it was -- error-prone and not a whole lot of luck for the Jays.

The loss guarantees Toronto will have lost a series for the first time since early May. 

Game recap:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/2017/06/07/blue-jays-drop-second-straight-to-athletics.html

 

[hockeyfan1]

Blue Jays 7  A's 5

Thank goodness.  Justin Smoak and Josh Donaldson both homered in the top of the tenth inning that paved the win for the Blue Jays.

Smoak hit his 17th homer of the year, and Donaldson broke the tie with his two-run shot that sailed high thanks to the wind.  Whatever.  It was a homer the Jays sorely needed to avoid an Oakland sweep.

Jays' starter Francisco Liriano allowed three runs and struck out five but unlike his other pitching colleagues -- Estrada and Happ, both of whom had little to no offensive support -- Liriano's teammates' bats came up big.  No more stranding runners on basepaths and more more defensive miscues, unlike the previous two losses to the A's.

Blue Jays have a day off before embarking to Seattle to play the Mariners.

Story:
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-oakland-atheletics-recap-1.4150489