... and on the 55th day, they passed Baltimore. Maybe for good. Maybe not.
Jays 6, Royals 0, behind a Brad Wilkerson grand slam and the first complete game and shutout of Jesse Litsch's career. Makes you wonder: Which will the Jays get more of the rest of the way: grand slams, or complete games from pitchers not named Roy?
The Jays' bats had 8 walks and 5 strikeouts in the game, led by Relative WPA Superhero Lyle Overbay, who was 1-1 with three walks, and Shannon Stewart, who continued his recent hot streak by going 1-2 with 2 walks. Stewart is 11-31 with 3 walks and 2 doubles in his last 9 games. It's enough to make you ignore Adam Lind's latest hot streak. Stewart's line is up to .258/.340/.320. And Overbay, for his part, has reached base in each of his last 11 plate appearances.
The A's shut out Boston behind eight one-hit innings from Justin Duchscherer last night. Oakland is currently allowing 3.62 runs per game, best in the AL. I mean, I know there are park and defense factors involved, but where did that come from? Harden, Blanton, Eveland, Duchscherer, Smith. Bizarre.
In Los Angeles, ultra-hyped 20-year-old lefty Clayton Kershaw makes his big-league debut against Todd Wellemeyer and the Cardinals at 4:10.
And in Toronto, the Royals send Gil Meche to the hill to stop their losing streak. Meche's leitmotiv in KC is apparently Sammy Hagar's iconic protest song "I Can't Drive 55." Sammy Hagar?! Voicing his distaste for speed limits through Mother Goose couplets?? Seriously?? Incredibly ballsy choice that seriously challenges the established boundaries of acceptable irony. I love it. Peaches McGowan looks to keep the Jays' complete-game streak going. Light 'em up, blow 'em out. First pitch is at 1:07.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20080525080859635