MONDAY FIRST 5 INNINGS PLAY (YTD 13-14)

[jimmythegreek]

Toronto/CWS over 6 even:
Sunday brought plenty of drama to both of these teams about to start a 3 game series this evening. Yesterday Toronto avoided a sweep at the hands of the Anaheim Angels thanks to a 7 run bottom of the 9th that featured a grand slam by Steve Pearce that gave the Blue Jays an 11-10 improbable come from behind win. The comeback may have given the last place Jays (48-56) just enough momentum to keep their postseason hopes going moving to within 8 games of the first place Yankees heading into today’s action. It was Pearce’s 10th HR of the season overall off of loser Bud Norris (1-4) who saw his ERA rise to 3.89. Kevin Pillar, who went 2 for 4 with a run scored and 2 RBI and Ezequiel Cabrera, who went 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored also hit homers off of Jesse Chavez, who went 5 innings giving up 4 runs on 7 hits not factoring in the decision. Matt Dermody pitched 3 solid innings in relief for Toronto allowing just one ruin on one hit with a walk for his first win of the season. Albert Pujols smoked 2 home runs and drove in 4 runs going 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored. Mike Trout went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and Andreleton Simmons went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI but the Angels relief could not hold a 6 run lead. Meanwhile in the Windy City, the Chicago White Sox (40-62) avoided a 3 game sweep when Matt Davidson hit a walk-off 2 run HR, his 21st of the season edging the Cleveland Indians 3-1, ending a 9 game losing streak for the Tribe. Leury Garcia provided the rest of the offense for the pale hose with his 7th HR of the season, a solo shot tying the game at 1. Recently acquired Tyler Clippard earned just his second win of the season in relief against 6 losses by pitching a scoreless 9th and striking out 2. Chicago won for just the second time in its last 16 games and ended a 7 game home losing streak at Guaranteed Rate Field. Bryan Shaw fell to 4-5 taking the loss in relief as the Indians could only muster a solo HR by Francisco Lindor, his 16th in the top of the 3rd.

 

The White Sox send James Shields (2-3 5.86) to the hill this evening who has been flat out crushed over his last 4 starts. The 35 year old 13 year veteran right-hander has lost 2 decisions in that span surrendering 19 ER over as many innings for a 9.00 ERA. His last start resulted in an 8-3 loss to their interstate rivals and defensing champion Cubs where he lasted just 4 innings and yielding 3 runs on 5 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. He faces a Toronto lineup sporting one of the more disappointing underachieving lineups in all of the league batting just .241 averaging just 4.2 runs per contest despite 139 HR ranking 7th in the AL. Justin Smoak (.301 29 70) is the lone batter north of .300 on the roster who is 3rd in the AL in HR and tied for 4th in RBI. Smoak has shown no signs of slowing down hitting safely in his last 6 games (.348) with 2 HR and 6 RBI. Kendrys Morales (.249 20 57) is putting up numbers of his peak reminiscent to 2009 as a member of the Angels but is mired in a 5 for 25 slump. Jose Bautista (.218 16 45) has endured a season long struggle due to injuries and inefficiency and is currently battling a 3 for 27 slump (.111). Kevin Pillar (.244 12 25) has not had much protection in the lineup and is just 3 for his last 21 (.143) with the majority of his long balls coming via the solo variety. Josh Donaldson (.239 10 30) who has endured hip and calf injuries missing a large part of the season, has clearly not been himself though could factor down the stretch if the Jays plan on making one last run for the division.

 

Toronto counters with Marco Estrada (4-7 5.43) who, like Shields, has been knocked around over his last 4 starts losing one with an ERA of 8.50. However Estrada was fairly efficient in his last outing, a game the Jays won 3-2 over Oakland going 5 and allowing 2 runs on 3 hits with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. The 34 year old 11 year right-hander has not won in over 2 months, and faces a White Sox lineup hitting .254 overall averaging 4.3 runs per contest with a paltry 116 HR. While already certainly in need of starting pitching, leaving runners on base and inconsistency at the plate have been recipe for owning last place in the AL Central. Jose Abreu (.294 19 66) has come on strong after a slow first half becoming one of the few bright spots on the club in 2017. Davisdson (.236 21 48) yesterday’s hero earned just his 3rd hit in 27 at bats (.111) with an AB/strikeout ration of nearly every 2.5 plate appearances. Avisail Garcia (.303 13 54) is the only White Sox batting over .300 but is currently battling a 4 for 28 slump (.143). Garcia (.297 7 23) just came off the DL with a finger injury missing over a month and a half but is grooming into a reliable every day player otherwise.

 

We get a bargain of a price at a venue that doesn’t quite live up to its Windy City reputation where the ball doesn’t exactly quite carry very well. Where it’s 400 to straight away center and 335 in the corners, perhaps we will see some balls leave the yard with warm temperatures and light winds in the forecast this evening. Both starters have been nothing short of awful over the last month, so something has to give. The Jays look to build some momentum from yesterday’s heroics while the White Sox are simply just looking to start a winning streak as they play out the string. Speaking of winning streaks, we look to get back on the left side as well winning 5 of 7 and looking to break north of .500 as the season enters it’s final 2 full months. Best of luck however you play!

[KingRevolver]

Best of luck, pal.

[KingKolzig]

going o10.5 here

 

gl to us