Game 155 – Drive for 20

Jon Lester has been a different pitcher when facing the Jays at Rogers Centre than at Fenway. Lester has faced the Jays 4 times this season, 2 at Rogers Centre, 2 at Fenway. In his 2 starts at Fenway he has thrown 16 innings and given up 5 hits and 1 run. In 2 starts at Rogers Centre he has thrown 9.1 innings and given up 16 hits and 12 runs. It looked like Lester would be gone early from this game having given up 5 runs in the first 2 innings but he settled down and followed w/5 scoreless innings. Regardless of whether your team comes back those are big innings that really help save your bullpen over the course of a season.

The early offence was enough Halladay to pickup win 19 on the season keeping his shot at 20 alive. It wasn’t vintage Halladay as he gave up 6 hits, walked 3 and allowed 3 runs. He had to throw 106 pitches over his 6 innings, of which 45 were balls. He recorded more outs in the air (8) than via the ground (7).

With Downs shut down for the season it was the new Jays trio of Carlson, League, and Ryan to shut the door on the Red Sox. Each of them threw an inning and only League gave up a hit.

I thought Leyva should have sent McDonald on the Scutaro 2B. I know there was only 1 out but McDonald was running all the way from 1st and you have to take advantage of the Sox OF arms whenever possible.

I don’t know what Cora was thinking trying to get Scutaro at the plate in the 2nd. That early in the game you have to take the sure out. It is doubtful they would have turned 2 but they could have easily got the force at 2nd. Frankly, unless it was the 9th inning and that was the winning run Cora shouldn’t have been coming home on it. He really had no shot at Scutaro and in rushing to make the play ended up throwing it away. As an infielder you have to have a good idea what you’re going to do if a ball is hit to you in that situation b/c you cannot afford to hesitate. However, you still have to pickup the runner and where he is b/c you don’t know what kind of jump he will get.

Rios reached base all 4 times tonight. He had 2 1B, a walk, and reached on a fielder’s choice. He also stole a base but did not score any runs in part due to Wells and Overbay going a combined 0 for 7, including hitting into 2 DP’s, behind him. For Rios that was his first stolen base since Aug. 12th and his first attempt since Aug. 21st. Not sure if that is a result of Cito not giving Rios the green light as often or simply Rios just not stealing.

Let’s see the stats:
Adv: Ortiz
P-Adv: Halladay (7)
WG: Wells (9)
ME(f): Cora