Seventeen walks, eleven issued by the Jays, against just seven strikeouts. Really, on both sides, some of the worst pitching you’ll see in a major league game. Five Jays pitchers played, and all but Spencer Miles gave up a run.
On the positive side, the offence actually showed up. They managed seven runs on eight hits and six walks of their own, including home runs by Jonatan Clase and Vladimir Guerrero jr. It’s a little late for moral victories, but Vlad going into the All Star break having broken out of his months long slump would be a little good news.
The Jays offense took an inning to figure Walker Buehler out, recording just a Vladimir Guerrero jr. chopper for an infield single in the first. In the second, though, they pounced. Kazuma Okamoto and Daulton Varsho walked. Alejandro Kirk lined a double that plated one run, and Andres Gimenez grounded out to force a second across. That left one on for Jonatan Clase, who homered on a fly ball to right to put the Jays in front 4-2.
Trey Yesavage could not find the plate at all. 12 of his first 13 pitches were balls, loading the bases with none out in the first. He got a pop out, but then walked in a run. A sac fly added a second before he was able to get out of the inning. Staked to a lead in the second, he struck out Luis Campusano before issuing his fifth walk of the game. Then a ground out and two more walks loaded the bases, and a Manny Machado line drive single tied it at four. That was the end of a start that never really got off the ground. Adam Macko took over, but before he could complete his first at bat Machado was caught in a rundown between first and second for the third out.
The Jays could manage only a Kirk single off reliever Matt Waldron in the top of the third. Macko allowed the Padres to break the tie in the bottom half, on a hit, a line single, a stolen base and a two RBI single, putting them back on top 6-4.
Waldron walked Clase in the fourth, but the Jays couldn’t do anything with it. Braydon fisher got the first two batters in his half, but yet another walk and a pair of single plated one more for San Diego. Both teams were quiet in the fifth, with Waldron pitching a 1-2-3 inning and Mason Fluharty working around a single.
In the sixth, Yuki Matsui walked Clase and hit Nathan Lukes, setting the table for a three run Vladimir Guerrero jr. home run to left, tieing the game at seven. It was short lived, as Ty France took Fluharty deep off the Western Metal Supply Co. building for a solo home run in the home half.
Bradgley Rodriguez and Spencer Miles each sat the opposing side down in order in the seventh. Luis Urias, hitting for Gimenez, singled to lead off the eighth but Adrian Morejon struck out Clase and got a double play from Clement. Jackson Merrill singled and appeared to steal second in the bottom half, but was called out. The call survived a replay, but I have to say he looked safe and it wasn’t particularly close. The Jays were happy to take it, of course. Miles took advantage to get out of the inning, although he issued two more walks in the process.
Nathan Lukes managed a single of Mason Miller in the ninth, which is more than almost anyone has this season. Myles Straw pinch ran and stole second while Guerrero struck out. George Springer lined a ball hard 390 feet to dead centre, but Merrill made the catch at the track to prevent the comeback from coming to fruition. Miller struck Okamoto out to end the game.
Jays of the Day: Guerrero (0.17), Kirk (0.14), Clase (0.16)
Less so: Yesavage (-0.39), Macko (-0.14), Fluharty (-0.11), Springer (-0.25), Okamoto (-0.16)
Tomorrow’s the last one before the All Star break. Kevin Gausman (4-8, 4.32) will try to right the ship after a rough finish to his first half, while the Padres will start German Marquez (4-2, 5.02), who’s having a rough season of his own. We’ll get it started at 4:10pm ET.