Blue Jays self-destruct as L.A. Dodgers rating 4 runs in ninth to prevail in further innings

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When it comes to Blue Jays collapses, Tuesday’s 8-7 meltdown in Los Angeles doesn’t rank on the high, when so many extra — with far more on the road — have performed out over time.

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Following Monday’s series-opening win in 11 innings, the Jays ought to have been poised to comb the Dodgers. However as an alternative, they’ll need to accept a collection win, assuming they’ve the psychological toughness to answer the devastation that unfolded in a weird ninth inning when Erik Swanson coughed up a four-run lead.

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Supervisor John Schneider had no different alternative however to let Swanson fend for himself. Nearer Jordan Romano was unavailable, having pitched in 4 of the earlier 5 video games, whereas Trevor Richards, Yimi Garcia and Jay Jackson have been coming off 20-plus pitch outings on Monday. And when L.A. tied it 7-7 within the backside of the ninth, the one reliever left was ex-Dodger Mitch White, a tire hearth this season, who gave up a game-winning double to James Outman.

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Danny Jansen appeared to interrupt open an in any other case shut recreation with a bases-loaded double within the high half of the ninth. However inexplicably, the Jays couldn’t get outs within the backside half and couldn’t make the fitting play defensively when the Dodgers stored pushing the envelope.

Swanson started the nervous ninth by giving up three consecutive singles to chop the result in 7-4. He received the ever-dangerous Freddie Freeman — who had homered earlier within the recreation off starter Chris Bassitt — on a shallow flyout to left, however an infield single and a stroll made it 7-5 and re-loaded the bases for J.D. Martinez. Swanson threw the slugger 4 consecutive sliders, three of which he swung and missed on for the second out.

Then got here the important thing at-bat. Going through pesky veteran Chris Taylor, Swanson received the right-handed batter to hit a grounder between first and second. Vlad Guerrero Jr., made a valiant dive to maintain the ball within the infield however might solely deflect it to second baseman Santiago Espinal. By the point Espinal had corralled the ball, one run was already in. However Dodgers base-runner Will Smith who, with two out, was off and working from second on the slow-developing sequence, didn’t break stride as he rounded third. Maybe caught without warning by the aggressive base-running, Espinal hesitated barely, then made a hurried, off-line throw to the plate that wasn’t near stopping Smith from tying the sport.

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When the staff’s six-game west coast journey started in Seattle, all three video games have been determined by one run. Then got here the 11-inning win in L.A.

“Looks like these guys are examined mentally each evening,” Schneider advised reporters following Monday evening’s win. “Video games are shut. Video games are tight. Hopefully that makes us just a little extra battle-tested down the highway.”

On this evening, there was little proof of that.

IT WASN’T ALL BAD

Regardless of the gut-wrenching defeat, there have been loads of encouraging developments to emerge, starting with Bo Bichette, who got here inside a triple of hitting for the cycle with a four-hit night that snapped an 0-for-18 slide with seven strikeouts. Bichette’s two-run homer within the t
hird gave the Jays a 3-1 lead.

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Then there was Jansen, who once more got here up with that clutch hit within the ninth, after taking a pitch off his left arm on Sunday in Seattle and being pressured to sit down out Monday’s opener past a pinch-running look.

And newly acquired lefty reliever Genesis Cabrera, who changed Bassitt following a leadoff stroll within the sixth, threw two shutout innings, highlighted by a powerful 1-2-3 seventh in opposition to the center of the Dodgers order during which he received each Freeman and Smith on referred to as third strikes.

WHIT’S A HIT

Whit Merrifield was within the leadoff spot Tuesday evening for under the second time this season as George Springer, who had just one hit in his earlier 21 at-bats, wasn’t within the beginning lineup. Jordan Luplow began in proper subject.

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It was Merrifield’s 1,000th profession recreation and he started the evening by stroking a double to left on the sport’s first pitch, then scoring the sport’s opening run on a Brandon Belt sacrifice fly.

He had an opportunity to money in two runs within the sixth, however was caught trying on a referred to as third strike to finish the body, stranding runners at second and third.

In left subject, Merrifield made a pleasant working catch to finish the fourth inning when he tracked down a sharply hit ball down the road off the bat of Mookie Betts.

ARMED FORCES

Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts hung out reconnecting with Hyun-Jin Ryu previous to Monday’s collection opener.

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On Tuesday, it was Clayton Kershaw’s flip to meet up with Ryu, a fellow lefty and former teammate. Every is trying to return to the mound following accidents which, within the case of Kershaw, includes his left shoulder.Ryu underwent Tommy John surgical procedure to his left elbow final June.

The soft-throwing, soft-spoken Ryu advised reporters within the hours main as much as opening pitch Tuesday that every one went fairly seamlessly when reflecting on his journey following the process and he’s optimistic he’ll be pitching for the Blue Jays sooner fairly than later.

Ryu spent seven years in Dodgers blue earlier than signing in free company with the Blue Jays previous to the 2020 season.

He’s scheduled to throw a facet session Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

As for Ryu’s former staff, the Dodgers have managed to remain atop the NL West, regardless of having three rookies within the rotation within the wake of accidents. With the Aug. 1 commerce deadline quick approaching, it’s no secret the Dodgers desperately want succesful arms.v

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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