Facing the Baltimore Orioles for a four-game weekend series, the Blue Jays managed to take the first two, and even looked like they had the third game locked up. But a blown lead on Saturday and a blowout in Sunday’s series final saw them split the series.
In the end, Bassitt went six innings of one-run ball, striking out two, walking a batter, and giving up four hits. Corbin continues to string together strong outs, this time going five innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts.
This game was won in the top of the eighth. George Springer hit a lead-off double, then was moved to third thanks to a Nathan Lukes sacrifice bunt. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was intentionally walked with an open base, then Daulton Varsho was unintentionally walked to load the bases. Kazuma Okamoto struck out swinging, but a pinch-hitting Yohendrick Piñango drew a walk to score the game-winning run.
Springer and Ernie Clement hit back-to-back singles to lead off the top of the eighth, then Guerrero Jr. drove them both in with a double to give the Blue Jays a 6-5 lead. They also did it without their best relievers, as Mason Fluharty picked up the win, and Braydon Fisher his first career save.
In the eighth, the Jays extended their lead to 4-1 thanks to back-to-back singles to lead-off the inning, before Okamoto hit a two-run double, his seventh of the season. Then they made it 5-1 in the top of the ninth, as Lukes drew a two-out walk, followed by an RBI double hit by Guerrero Jr.
All momentum was halted in the bottom of the ninth. After Louis Varland pitched the bottom of the eighth, Jeff Hoffman replaced him, striking out the first batter he faced. On a 1-1 pitch, Hoffman plunked Coby Mayo, which spelled the beginning of the end. Mayo was driven in thanks to an RBI triple, making it 5-2.
Following that triple, Jackson Holliday hit a single, making it 5-3. A double put two runners in scoring position, then Hoffman walked the next batter he saw to load the bases. Then he walked another batter to bring the Orioles within one, before he was finally pulled.
But the damage was already done. With this game sandwiched between bullpen days, as well as being the 16th consecutive day they’ve played, the Jays turned to Seabold to get two outs with the bases loaded. He didn’t, walking a batter to tie it, then giving up an RBI single to Pete Alonso for a 6-5 loss, dropping the Jays record to below .500 once again.
The Jays didn’t go down without a fight, getting on the board in the top of the seventh. With two on and two outs, Clement hit an RBI double to make it 9-2, then Piñango hit a three-run moon shot to get the Jays to within grand slam territory. But the Jays went quietly in the top of the ninth, hitting two ground outs and a pop up.
Winning three games in this series would’ve guaranteed the Blue Jays a .500 record departing Maryland, and they were just two outs away from doing so. Instead, they are now back to where they were heading into the series, two games below .500. It’s different this time as the Jays don’t have any momentum.
Four-game series are tough to win, and this is their third four-game series split in their last 12 series dating back to April 20th. Along with three series splits, the Blue Jays have lost just two series, both to the Tampa Bay Rays, while winning seven, so their overall play has been average at worst.
It doesn’t help that the Blue Jays are also coming off 17 days of consecutive baseball with the number of injuries they have. Thankfully, it seems like they’re getting healthy, as both Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber made rehab starts on Sunday.
They also get a day off on Monday, before heading down to Georgia looking to get above .500 for the first time since early April. Their series against the Atlanta Braves begins on Tuesday.