Controlled Climate in T.O.

Good change for the Red Sox who have been battling the elements on numerous occasions on this young season. Toronto’s indoor climate will make the Red Sox hitters more comfortable and thus should result in better run support, (you’d think)

The game begins with an opening strike on the outer half, thrown by Jay’s starter Gustavo “please call me Gus” Chacin, to leadoff hitter Julio Lugo.

Lineup change for Boston as they have brought Crisp up to second in the lineup dropped Youkilis down to fifth in the order with Drew not playing and Pena starting in right. Francona has decided to bring more pop to the backend of the batting order when Drew gets the day off it seems.

Blue Jay hitters look to take pitches, early and often from Matsuzaka. Newly called-up left-fielder Adam Lind looked wide eyed at Daisuke as he struck out early.

Wily Mo, while batting in the eight-whole blasted a drive in the third that bounced off the front of the restaurant window in between the first and third upper decks out in centerfield.
Suddenly a fan favorite in Toronto, career backup Catcher Gregg Zaun has and I quote his own “Zaun-bie Nation”. I believe they are located in a section down the third base line, they seem to be getting bigger and better every week, sporting a big black sign and they all adorn zombie masks. They go crazy every time he comes to bat, but catcher Gregg Zaun has only become aware of them a few days ago.

Bottom of the fourth, Dice-K gets into trouble, Vernon Wells battles for an infield single, Frank Thomas walks on four straight balls. Matsuzaka seems to be getting a little frustrated while Varitek tries to speed him up.
Overbay singles through passed Lugo to score Wells and ties this one up at one. Thomas and Overbay at first and second, throws wild! But it is the fourth ball in the full count to Aaron Hill to load the bases. Still only one out and Zaun steps up, the counts 3 and 1 and he pitches an 85 mph breaking ball, high to walk in a run.
He then strikes out Royce Clayton while Kyle Snyder begins to warm in the pen. Rule 5 pickup Jason Smith rockets a shot to center, Crisp backs up, it’s deep and it’s short, about five feet from making this a 6-1 ballgame, Jays lead 2-1 after four.

With #18 on the mound, Boston struck out the side in the fifth. Snyder has since sat down while Okajima has begun to warm.
This game tonight has truly been a pitcher’s dual, only one blemish so far from Chacin, giving up a solo homer to Pena early on which has been it in a solid outing for the number three guy in Toronto’s rotation.
Handshakes all around for Daisuke in the dugout, giving myself the feeling that after six innings pitched, Matsuzaka is done.
Chacin is being pulled and holds up his hat to the adoring Rogers Centre faithful. Casey Janssen, a young in between starter/reliever for Toronto, pops up Pena to get out of the inning.

Toronto has caught the injury bug, this year so far losing Closer BJ Ryan with soreness waiting to be diagnosed, which the Blue Jays are hoping won’t end with him getting Tommy John surgery which I believe teammate Victor Zambrano is coming back from, but all signs point to a minor injury. Ryan is expected to be out 2 months as long as there aren’t any other bumps in the road.
Leadoff hitter Reed Johnson went down with a herniated disc noticed by an MRI took after he had complained about his lower back.
Not to mention that they are missing their big power guy from last year in 3B Troy Glaus, though not as long as other seems to nag him constantly throughout this and in previous years.

Okajima is brought in to start the bottom 7th for the Red Sox ending Dice-k’s night, giving him the line of six innings 10 SO, 3 BB, 2ER and only giving up three hits, versus Chacin who is in line for the win and posted 3 k’s, 1 ER and 6 hits in 6 and 2/3’s.

In relief Hideki Okajima takes off where Daisuke left, striking out the side in the 7th, though it was Toronto’s 7, 8 and 9 hitters, still impressive in relief.

JD Drew pinch hits for Pedroia and walks. The new closer starts warming and it is a small little right-hander in Jason Frasor, who is tiny compared to the 6’6” Ryan. They also start to warm Scott Downs as the Jays look for the Left-Right match ups.
Boston quickly lines out, into a double play as they put on the hit and run, Janssen wipes the sweat from his brow.

Another option for the Jays could have been to use #22 Brandon League as the closer, would be the likely option. But he has struggled since his breakout year in ’06. Losing arm speed and comfort, he was touted as the setup man replacement for Justin Speier who left for through free agency.

2 outs in the eighth, Toronto brings in Frasor, which I would have brought in the LHP in Downs and than Frasor for the ninth. Will this move pay off for John Gibbons?
Yes! Ortiz grounds back to Frasor to get out of the inning.

Joel Pineiro comes out for the bottom eighth joined by Alex Cora at second as Drew was substituted in for Pedroia.
Pineiro takes the Jays down 1-2-3 in the eighth.

The BoSox need to get something started as they are going to give Daisuke a losing record of (1-2) so far and would have only scored one run in two losses for the Sox hurler.
Ramirez lines out to deep center, Youkilis quickly grounds out and they have two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Mike Lowell steps up to the plate 1 for 3 s thus far.
Lowell grounds to short Clayton double-clutches but still gets him at first. Blue Jays Win!
This game is another story in the long chapter of good pitching wasted by a lack of hitting. Just ask tomorrow’s starter Tim Wakefield. He’ll face Toronto’s Tomo Ohka. Wednesdays game is scheduled for 7:07 pm Eastern Time.

Written by Scott Penny