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Message #: 29511
The most talented team in the East still can't catch a break in a home game, but comes one patented choke away from sweeping a very good Seattle team -- and the Jays could have lost all 3 the way our bats suddenly turned to Jell-o whenever anyone was on base (series LOB: TOA - 32, SEA - 17).... Game 1: A rarity in this era: a pair of complete games. The Jays LOBbed in every inning except the 4th (when 3 outs surrounded a Joe Orsulak solo homer) and the 9th, when -- of course -- we went down 1-2-3 after some remarkable surgery in the bottom of the 8th that turned our hard-earned 2-0 lead into just another devastating one-run loss. Final score: 3-2. The M's were awarded a surgical split card triple and a pair of surgical dice rolls that resulted in HBPs, all of which was just precisely enough for us to achieve the choke. Seattle's fortunate John Burkett (14-4) scattered 11 hits, helped massively by all our LOB and the occasional critical runner-gunned-at-home-plate in a very close game. Toronto's Luckless Pat Hentgen (9-9) held the Mariners to 9 hits, but one-third of those plus the timely HBPs were all bunched into one fatal final frame. =============================================================== Game 2: Due mainly to Dave Fleming's wildness as opposed to actually swinging the bat, the Jays were able to build an early 4-0 lead today. But our LOB machine was firing on all cylinders (13 LOB) and Toronto wasted opportunities galore to increase the lead. So naturally some timely sabotage defense aided our opponent, and despite our astronomical edge in hits the contest was quickly tied 4-4. Fleming wasn't pitching a bit better than he had earlier, but all we could put on the scoreboard were zeroes while Jack Morris settled in and mowed down the tough Seattle lineup. Finally in the 8th, just after we had LOBbed the bases loaded for the second time, an assault featuring 3 doubles off of relievers Jeff Reardon and Norm Charlton resulted in 3 runs, and Morris cruised through the last 2 innings and prevailed by the unaccountably close score of 7-4. The TOA offense amassed 15 hits to SEA's 6, and we also drew 5 walks & a HBP, but all the LOB and the 2 unearned runs we donated turned what should have been a laugher into a squeaker. =============================================================== Game 3: Another day, another (nearly) blown lead and another big win in the LOB column (10-5). In a game in which the Jays outplayed the Mariners, we still would have lost if only earned runs counted since we didn't score any at all. Road warrior Brian Williams had a semi-effective start for the Jays even though his teammates weren't in a mood to help out at the plate: the offense somehow avoided scoring early by leaving a runner at third in each of the first 3 frames, and LOBbing them loaded once again along the way. The contest remained scoreless until Jay Buhner's surgical split card single plated Greg Litton with a run in the 4th. Toronto eventually responded in the 6th by rallying after a Litton error opened the door. Trevor Wilson was lifted after Devo White's single tied the score and Reardon promptly allowed a 2-run single to Rod Correia, who was accidentally left in to face a RHP. That concluded our scoring for the day, but not Seattle's. Two batters later, Phil Plantier came up with an impossible to miss (unless he plays for Toronto) 1-19 shot at a gopher and the M's were within one. Williams navigated his way out of the inning, but Duane Ward took over and.... got the results his card deserves for a change! Ward tossed 3 hitless innings, permitting just a leadoff walk in the 8th to Kenny Lofton that immediately put a runner a second base, but Ward escaped that jam and then struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th, retiring super-zoid Mitch Lyden for the last out. Final score: 3-2. Williams & Ward combined on a 5-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Alan |
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