Jays 9 - Rays 7

1. Recaps:
   
   
   
   • Spencer Fordin:
     
     
     Sloppy scorecards. That was the promotion at SkyDome on Sunday, when the Blue Jays and Devil Rays made a mess out of the early innings.
     
     One team scored, the other answered. The scoreboard was full of such call-and-response, but Toronto took control of the game with one decisive rally. The end result was a 9-7 win, which pulled the Jays within two games of fourth-place Tampa Bay.
     
     "It was kind of a slugfest early there, but the pitchers came through late," said Toronto manager John Gibbons. "We won the game, so it was another good one."
     
     All the early runs produced a predictable response: Both starting pitchers were gone by the end of the fourth inning, victims of an early knockout. Scott Kazmir (2-2), the 20-year-old southpaw sensation, lasted just six outs after allowing seven runs on six hits.
     
     
     
   • Ian Harrison:
     
     
     Coming off the best start of his brief career, rookie Scott Kazmir suffered through his worst start on Sunday. The lefty allowed a career-high seven runs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Devil Rays, 9-7.
     
     "There's a couple of pitches I want back," he said. "It's just a frustrating day."
     
     
     
   • Mike Ganter:
     
     
     It was a game befitting two teams fighting to avoid a last-place finish. In the end, the only difference was a pair of third-inning doubles, one that took a crazy hop off the steaming turf and another that got lost in the bright sun in right field as Jose Cruz ducked for cover.
     
     The doubles proved the impetus for a five-run rally that was just enough for the Jays to turn yesterday's game into a 9-7 win.
     
     
     
   • CP:
     
     
     The Toronto Blue Jays are doing their best to get out of the cellar in the American League East.
     
     Carlos Delgado had three hits and Vernon Wells hit a home run as the Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9-7 in an ugly, error-filled slugfest on Sunday. "It was kind of a slugfest early there but the pitchers came through late and we won the game," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons after his team took two of three from the fourth-place Rays.
     
     
     
   • Allan Ryan:
     
     
     Chulk, of course, also had other things on his mind. Mostly, the orange, pink and yellow frock he'd be obliged to wear — with knee socks — through two airports and all the way to New York's stately Park Plaza Hotel.
     
     This comes with the territory — namely with being a Blue Jay rookie (and many teams carry on with the ritual) on the final road trip of the year. Then again, this gangly troupe of eight could probably hit the streets and not stand out that badly.
     
     
     
   
   
   
2. Fordin Notes on Miguel Batista:
   
   
   Call it the Portable Miguel Batista, and bring it to any bullpen.
   
   Every time he pitches, the man has plenty to say. He spews half-baked anecdotes and aphorisms, some of them accurate and most of them entertaining. One thing's abundantly clear, even after one relief appearance: The writers -- and readers -- are the main winners in this arrangement.
   
   
   In other news Gustavo Chacin and Brandon League have been called up to the big team. Congratulations Brandon and Gustavo!
   
   
3. Ganter Notes on Miguel Batista and the two call-ups:
   
   
   The Jays transferred outfielder Frank Catalanotto to the 60-day disabled and designated reliever Aquilino Lopez for assignment to free up spots for pitchers Gustavo Chacin and Brandon League.
   
   
   More details about the roster moves can be found in CP's "Jays promote Chacin, League".
   
   
4. In "Prospects given chance to shine with the big club" Millson describes how the call-ups will impact the rotation:
   
   
   That means left-hander Ted Lilly's start will be bumped to Wednesday. Halladay will come off the disabled list to make his first start since July 16 tomorrow night against the Yankees, who defeated the Boston Red Sox yesterday to open a 4½-game lead in the American League East.
   
   "Lilly has pitched a lot of innings [1861/3] and we wanted to give him an extra day," interim manager John Gibbons said. "Even if we didn't have another guy, there was a chance we were going to spot-start somebody."
   
   
   What are everyone's opinions on the moves? I'm really looking forward to seeing these two pitch and gives even the most jaded Jays fans a reason to watch the rest of the season.
   
   
5. In "Young pitchers throw some light on future" Richard Griffin seems particularly excited to see Brandon League pitch:
   
   
   The Jays need some phee-noms of their own if they are going to sell this team to casual fans next season. One thing is certain: Casual fans aren't excited by David Bush, Vinnie Chulk, Jason Frasor, Josh Towers or Justin Miller. The skills of those guys are too subtle.
   
   Players to excite the casual fans, not just in Toronto, are the hitters who bomb tape-measure homers and pitchers with the ability to throw 100 miles per hour. Remember the ripple that went through the crowd in Billy Koch's early, flame-throwing years whenever he would hit triple digits on the Jumbotron.
   
   With that in mind, the Jays have just called up another with that ability, blazing right-hander Brandon League. The 21-year-old Hawaiian appeared several times during the spring in the Grapefruit League and impressed Jays coaches with his maturity.
   
   
   
   
6. Tonight's 7:05PM EST start in New York: This one is a must watch for Jays fans, as RHP Gustavo Chacin makes his major league debut against RHP Javier Vazquez (14-9, 4.75 ERA). Spencer Fordin has all the details in his game preview.