Instant Reaction: Blue Jays drop the first game of the D-backs series, and Daulton Varsho departs with a knee injury
After dropping two of three against the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this week, the Blue Jays landed in Arizona looking to put a win in the record column against the Diamondbacks and turn things around in the desert. Things didn’t go according to plan, and the Jays have found themselves in a hole against the Dbacks, dropping last night’s game by a score of 6-3.
Lauer would enter in the second inning and got off to a strong start, allowing just a single while striking out one. The left-hander was cruising until the bottom of the fourth, when an inside fastball caught too much of the plate, and Nolan Arenado punished the ball over the left field wall, tying the game at one run apiece. The bottom of the fifth also saw the Dbacks plate two more runs, with a walk and a barrage of singles getting the better of Lauer. Overall, Lauer would go five innings and allow five hits, one walk, and three earned runs while striking out four, seeing his ERA stand at 7.13.
Spencer Miles would take the hill after, and the right-hander dealt with some adversity in this outing. Miles was not as sharp as fans are used to seeing, and the reliever missed his spots a few times. A single and a walk put runners on, and a groundout moved them both into scoring position. With two outs in his favour, Miles got Jose Fernandez to ground weakly to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the first baseman bobbled the ball in the exchange to Miles covering the bag, scoring one run. A single from Arenado would plate another before Miles got out of the inning.
Former Diamondbacks pitcher Joe Mantiply was tasked with the eighth inning, and things did go in his favour this time around. A single and a double to start the frame plated a Dbacks run, making it 6-3, and that would be all Arizona needed to win the game.
For Arizona, it was Calgary, Alta product Michael Soroka who led the charge.
The right-hander went seven innings and allowed five hits and two earned runs across 94 pitches, striking out five with zero walks. Soroka was in control for most of the outing, and he now owns a 4-0 record with a sparkling 2.78 ERA. Also pitching for the D-backs were Jonathan Loaisiga and Paul Sewald, with the former Mariners hurler earning the save.
On the position player side, the biggest news piece was the departure of Daulton Varsho during the game. The centre fielder was taken out of the game in the bottom of the third in what is being described as left knee discomfort, an ailment that was bothering Varsho before game time.