Mission ’13, Game 59: Jays win 4-0

RA Dickey got the start against an NL team, in an NL park, with NL umps. His mound opponent, Barry Zito, excels pitching in his home ball park. A light breeze and cool(er) weather favours the starting pitchers today.

Chasing the 1930 Phillies

Game 59

PHI 23-36

TOR 25-34

The 1930 Phillies’ ace, Phil Collins, started in the opening game of the double header and it was a typical, low-scoring Forbes game. In the nightcap, the Phillies were su-su-sudio’ed. The Phils had 14 hits and 5 runs, and the top 5 batters had 5 doubles, 3 walks and a sacrifice hit but it wasn’t enough. Hap Collard was hapless as the Pirates connected for 17 hits, 10 against Collard himself. “Big Poison” was the hitting star of the game, falling a homer short of the cycle and scoring 4 runs. The Pirates won 11-5, sending the Phillies to their 7^th straight loss.  Incredibly Erv Brame pitched a complete game, giving up 14 hits and 3 walks.  Check the boxscore here.

As expected this game was a pitcher’s duel in the early going. RA struck out 4 Giants (one was Zito) the first time through the order and his knuckller was dancing, dipping, and diving. Barry Zito gave up a couple of hits, but shut the door pretty tightly.

This game, with all the elements in place to be a great pitcher’s battle, could very well get ugly too. RA Dickey’s on the mound. Mark DeRosa is playing 2B. Macier Izturis is playing SS. Edwin Encarnacion is playing 3B. If a runner gets to 3B…

RA Dickey gave himself a little breathing space if he puts a runner on 3B. Henry Blanco worked Barry Zito for a one-out walk. RA Dickey showed bunt, pulled the bat back, and slashed a double past a charging Panda. White Hank was on his horse and scored from 1B. This must have been what it looked like when Enos ‘Country’ Slaughter galloped around the bases to score from first on a single.

Jose Bautista followed Dickey’s double with a run-scoring single, then stole 2B. Edwin walked, then Jose and Edwin executed a double steal ahead of a 2-run single by Mark DeRosa. Adam Lind bounced a ball past Marco Scutaro to get on base for the third time, but TOR didn’t score again in the inning. The Jays took a 4-0 lead.

Casey Janssen induced a double play ground ball from Pablo Sandoval to end the game. It was Janssen’s 12^th save in 12 opportunities.

Taken in the context of the 2013 season, this game was the anti-Jays game. RA Dickey gave up 2 hits and a 2 walks over 8.1 IP and was economical with his pitches (103). Offensively, the Jays were efficient, scoring 4 runs on 7 hits, none of which cleared the fence. Adam Lind had 3 hits—all against LHP. White Hank had a walk and a double. The other extra base hit was a double by RA Dickey. The only reason they have a 4-run lead instead of a 1-run lead was a bad tag by Panda: Jose should have been out #3 on the double steal attempt (bad Panda, no bamboo). Also, shockingly, the Jays didn’t strike out. Not even once. Defensively the Jays didn’t throw away the ball, the lead, or the game. Good offense, good defense, and good pitching. All in the same game, too. Huh, who’d’a thunk it?

Wes Kepstro