For the first time this season, a Toronto Blue Jays starter pitched into the seventh inning. It was fitting that Kevin Gausman, the opening day starter and a true leader whose words always resonate, broke through. On the mound, his pitches do the talking, and for most of the second game of a three-game series against the visiting Cleveland Guardians, Gausman spoke loud and clear.
It wasn’t as loud or as clear as his opening two starts, when he recorded 21 combined strikeouts. In his sixth start, Gausman recorded a season-low three strikeouts. Nevertheless, his pitching set the tone as another sellout crowd of 41,543 had plenty to cheer as the Jays evened the series with a 5-3 win.
Varland’s Save
In Anaheim, Louis Varland needed one pitch to record his first-career save by coaxing a game-ending double play. Against the Guardians, Varland entered in the top of the ninth inning. A flyout to centre accounted for the first out. He then gave up a single into centre followed by a single into right field. Suddenly, Cleveland had the tying run at the plate.
Pinch hitter Kyle Manzardo hit a double to score a run as Daulton Varsho valiantly laid out in left centre. Varland did a bad impression of Jeff Hoffman by surrendering a walk to load the bases, putting the go-ahead run at first. When Varland struck out Mississauga’s Bo Naylor, the crowd roared. When he struck out Brayan Rocchio, the crowd erupted. Varland earned the save, his first at home, while Gausman earned his second win of the season.
Trey Yesavage Returns
News of Trey Yesavage’s return shouldn’t have caught anyone off guard, considering he was projected to return from his shoulder impingement setback sooner than later. Prior to Saturday’s first pitch, Jays manager John Schneider announced the talented right-hander, whose meteoric rise through the club’s system last year has been well documented, will start next Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox.
Boston has been a major disappointment this season, sliding into the AL East basement in the first month. One rung above the BoSox is where one will find the Jays. Dylan Cease’s start has been pushed back to Monday when the Jays and Red Sox begin a three-game series at Rogers Centre. Toronto’s starting rotation lines up with Max Scherzer getting the ball in Wednesday’s series finale.
With Yesavage returning, the odd-man out is Eric Lauer, the forgotten left-hander who will be used out of the bullpen. Lauer wasn’t even in the starting rotation when the season began. Injuries beset the club, and Lauer made a strong season debut, a form he hasn’t quite replicated. He earned the win when the Athletics were in town on opening weekend before three losses ensued.
Ramirez’s At-Bat
Jose Ramirez will eventually find his way in Cooperstown, perhaps as a first-ballot hall of famer. The switch-hitting Ramirez does most of his damage at the plate, but he’s no slouch at third base. In the fourth inning, he took Gausman deep twice down the right-field line, two sharply hit balls that went foul. Ramirez would reach base on a leadoff double by going to the opposite field. It was a hitting clinic in how best to use all areas of the field. Ramirez advanced to third on a groundout but was left stranded after Gausman induced a popout before recording an inning-ending strikeout.
Okamoto’s Homer
Kazuma Okamoto, who went deep in Friday night’s loss, launched another dinger in practically the same spot in straight-away centre. When he turns on a ball, Okamoto’s swing is quite impressive. Saturday’s belt went a Statcast-measured 425 feet. The fourth-inning solo blast was Okamoto’s team-leading fifth of the season. He hit cleanup Saturday on a day Myles Straw was in the leadoff spot as the Guardians started Joey Cantillo, who gave up three runs in five innings.
Earlier in the day, the Jays placed Nathan Lukes (hamstring) on the injured list. Okamoto endured a recent stretch where he struck out too often, with half of his at-bats resulting in strikeouts. The injury plight of the Blue Jays was reflected in the club’s bench composition, which featured Jesus Sanchez, Yohendrick Pinango (called up for Lukes), Lenyn Sosa, and Brandon Valenzuela.
Up Next
The series finale will see veteran lefty Patrick Corbin scheduled to start for the Blue Jays. With injured players slowly returning, Corbin’s days might be numbered, or perhaps some role will be created for someone who essentially was signed to fill a hole in the starting rotation. The $1 million investment to sign Corbin has, in many ways, paid dividends. The Jays have not won a home series since opening weekend. They’ll get a chance to win their second when first pitch Sunday flies at 1:37 p.m., or about 30 minutes after tipoff down the road in Game 4 of the Raptors-Cavaliers playoff series as the all-Cleveland matchup continues.
