Star of the Game: Orlando Cabrera collected 3 hits and a walk.Ted Lilly reminds us that he’s got a rep for being inconsistent. After opening the season with a brief and ineffective outing, Ted reeled off 6 consecutive starts where he gave his team a good chance to win. Recognizing that it was bound to come to an end, John Gibbons employed the quick hook and Lilly was gone after 4 1/3 with 3 runs in.
Unfortunately, the normally potent Jays offence lost a key cog when Troy Glaus was pulled after a plunking to open the 2nd inning. They made it close by scoring two runs in the top of the 6th, but the bullpen suffered a meltdown in the bottom half and that was that.
Star of the Game: Orlando Cabrera collected 3 hits and a walk.
Unsung Hero: Jose Molina battled Jason Frasor with 2 outs in the 6th, blooping a single into left on the 9th pitch of the at-bat and igniting a 4-run rally.
For the Jays: Frasor came on with one out in the 5th and stranded two runners for Lilly. He recorded two quick outs in the 6th before Molina’s single. Schoeneweis & Speier were… less effective.
Defensive Play of the Game: Eric Hinske, pressed into service at third base for the first time since September 2004, ended the 5th inning throwing out Juan Rivera after a diving stop to his right to prevent the ball going down the line.
Defensive Misplay of the Game: Back-to-back with Hinske’s play, Chone Figgins dropped Aaron Hill’s fly ball to centre to open the 6th. The Jays capitalized by scoring two in the inning.
Classy: Angels fans gave warm welcomes to Troy Glaus and Bengie Molina, both making their first appearance in Anaheim wearing enemy colours. I’ve never understood why the likes of Shannon Stewart are booed when they return to Toronto.
Elsewhere in the East:
The Yankees sent out a lineup featuring a 6 through 9 of Bernie Williams, Andy Phillips, Miguel Cairo, and Bubba Crosby, but scored 14 runs off Ranger ‘pitching’ anyhow. It was “Throw out the book on modern closer usage” night in the AL East, and Joe Torre’s take was to bring on Mariano Rivera to start the ninth with both teams having scored a dozen. The Rangers got to Mo for a run, but the Yanks game back to win it on a 2-run walkoff dinger by Jorge Posada.
In Baltimore, the good news was that Curt Schilling was lit up for 3 homers and 5 runs in 5 2/3. The bad news is that the Orioles started Bruce Chen, so this deficit meant next to nothing to the Sox lineup. Sam Perlozzo boldly sent out his closer for the top of the ninth despite being down a run, but while Chris Ray held the Sox at bay, Jonathan Papelbon mowed down the Os in the bottom half for his 14th save. 6 – 5 final and make it 13 in a row for the Sox over the Orioles.
It was a rare night, as even the bottom dwelling Rays were worth noting. Facing the Central-leading White Sox, Scott Kazmir shut down Chicago’s south siders for 7 innings, striking out 8, walking 2, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits. Meanwhile his mates got to Brandon McCarthy (making his first start of the season) for 3 runs in 4 innings, and to the Sox pen for another 7 runs. This added up to a 10 – 1 Rays lead through 7… but then Joe Maddon went to his bullpen, and just like that it was a ballgame again. Travis Harper, Ruddy Lugo, and Brian Meadows coughed up 6 runs in recording 2 outs, and Maddon called on closer Tyler Walker. Walker struck out Jim Thome to end the frame, and allowed just a single in the 9th to put it in the books and drop the Sox into a first-place tie with the Tigers.
TBG: Has a tribute to longtime coach Tom Ashizawa, who recently passed away.
Today: Casey Janssen takes on Kelvim Escobar.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20060517084747345