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A sigh of relief was palpable once news began to circulate that Pittsburgh’s two best pitchers wouldn’t be available during the Pirates’ weekend stay in Toronto.
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Paul Skenes, the first overall pick from last year’s draft, has been a major revelation, while Jared Jones has shown his mettle.
Turns out the Jays’ bats would, dare we say, falter with Bailey Falter on the mound, a savvy southpaw who wasn’t afraid to come inside with his fastball.
Falter was quite good in pitching six complete innings.
The same could said for Jays starter Jose Berrios, who only gave up one run in seven complete innings in a high-end pitchers’ duel.
Neither, ultimately, figured in the decision as Friday night’s game required extra innings, an evening of high-end pitching, low-end hitting and some very late-game drama.
The Blue Jays would win the game, 5-3, in 14 innings on a two-out walk-off homer by Davis Schneider, who had struck out three times.
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And with it, the Jays extended their win streak to four games, which ties their season high.
Falter gave up two hits and no runs before the Pirates turned to their bullpen, which has not been as good as the team’s starting pitching.
On this night, it became a battle of attrition.
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It was no fault of the pen when Daniel Vogelbach, who came into the game as a pinch hitter for Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the seventh inning with two outs and George Springer at first base, hit a ball deep into centre field.
Ji Hwan Bae would have caught the ball to end the inning, but he lost it in the twilight.
Springer scored to tie the game, while Vogelbach ended up at second with a double.
The way Toronto’s lineup had been struggling, the Jays needed a break and one arrived.
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Still, had twilight not interfered, the Jays would have been shut out.
Then came another break when the Pirates were picked off at first base in the ninth.
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The Jays caught a break in Chicago in the form of the woeful White Sox, who were swept in a three-game series as Toronto earned its first sweep of the season.
Against the Pirates, the Blue Jays punched back each time the visitors took a lead.
Baseball’s new extra-innings rule featuring a runner at second came into effect in 2020.
Normally, an outcome is quickly determined.
Along comes Friday night when a handful of individual feats will easily be forgotten.
In the end, the wait was worth it as Schneider’s blast came on a clinical swing.
It was Toronto’s first walk-off win of the season.
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Kudos to Toronto’s bullpen, which was a bit undermanned.
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MANOAH FALLOUT
At least for the next few days, the Blue Jays won’t need to fret on a fifth starter in the wake of the news that Alek Manoah was placed on the injured list.
The bad news is that Manoah has some kind of tear in his right (throwing) elbow.
There’s no way to know how long Manoah will be sidelined and when, perhaps even if, he’ll return to the mound this season.
Toronto is thin on starting pitchers and some kind of decision will have to be made for next Tuesday’s starter.
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Friday night’s series opener against the Buccos began a stretch that will see the Jays play 36 games during a 38-game stretch.
While Chris Bassitt has been pitching through some discomfort in his neck, the rest of the team’s Big 4 starters are pretty healthy.
Kevin Gausman’s spring was interrupted, which explains his slow start to the season, but he seems to be back in fine form.
Bowden Francis looms as a possible candidate to fill that No. 5 starter’s role.
He made a few early season starts, but the reviews weren’t that good.
Yariel Rodriguez did a decent job as the fifth starter during his outings, but he got hurt and is slowly making his way back.
There’s also the option of going with a bullpen day.
SECOND THOUGHTS
The Jays recorded their first hit when Ernie Clement, who started at third and batted eighth in the lineup, sent a liner into left field in the bottom of the third inning.
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Clement tried to take an extra base, but he was tagged out at the bag when Bryan Reynolds made a nice throw to second baseman Nick Gonzales.
Through four innings, the only hit Toronto produced came courtesy of Clement, who would immediately get thrown out when he tried to stretch a single into a double.
The Pirates, in contrast, began the game with a hit when 37-year-old Andrew McCutchen led things off with a single.
When he stepped up to the plate in the fifth inning with runners at first and second, McCutchen singled on a sharp line drive with two outs to score a run.
It was Pittsburgh’s fifth hit of the game.
BRIEFLY
Newly-minted Level of Excellence recipient Jose Bautista was back in the 6ix to help celebrate the team’s Toronto City Connect look. Joey Bats even took his swings in the batter’s box in the hours leading up to opening pitch Friday and didn’t look out of place. He was also shagging balls in the outfield. During last year’s ceremony to honor Bautista, he signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a Blue Jay. He was acquired from the Pirates on Aug. 21, 2008 in exchange for catcher Robinzon Diaz … Prospect Ricky Tiedemann threw a 20-pitch live BP Friday. The next step for the left-hander is a rehab appearance in Florida … No immediate word was provided, but Daulton Varsho, who was draped in a hoodie in the dugout, was not available … Jordan Romano was nowhere to be found as the Jays went deep into their bullpen.
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