Jays win 3-2, grab a share of first wild card spot

It wasn’t a very fun game until it was an incredibly fun game. The Jays never seem to match Ray’s pitching, and that night was typical in that regard. The offense only hit on eight guys all night. Luckily Bo is in a mode where he can carry the whole team on his back right now and the Rays pissed him off tonight. I’m sure Javy Guerra didn’t mean to hit him on the rim of his helmet. It was the sixth inning of a one-run game and Bo represented the go-ahead run. However, if you almost look 99 in the face, I imagine that only intent counts, but so much. Bo came back in eighth place and took his revenge by hitting a go ahead two run homer that would end up being the winner.

The pitchers more than kept their end of the bargain, allowing only nine baserunners and just one deserved run of their own. Apart from a throwing mistake by Danny Jansen at the wrong time, the defense also made a big impression.

Winning this series feels almost mandatory if the Jays are to have a shot at top wildcard spot, and clinching a win with a guy who was one of their shakier starters is a great start toward that goal. With their win tonight, they equal Seattle’s record 79-61 and jump ahead of the Rays by half a game, one in the win column. The Yankees, like the Mariners tonight, are now 5.5 games away.

We have the good Jose Berrios tonight. He gave up two runs, one earned, over six and a third, giving up six hits, a walk and a hit batter while striking four. The deserved run came in the second. David Peralta, Manuel Margot and Jonathan Aranda played singles back to back, neither hitting very hard. The undeserved run came in the sixth. Randy Arozarena scored with a floor ball single and stole second place from David Peralta with ball four. It was a borderline pitch and Danny Jansen couldn’t wait for the call, but he sent his throw into second place, leaving Arozarena in third place. He came in to score on a Manuel Margot fielder’s pick floor.

The Jays cast had a bad night. Minor league call Cooper Criswell was perfect in three innings, knocking out four of the nine batters. In the fourth they finally reached him. George Springer completed a leadoff walk and Vladimir Guerrero jr. followed by breaking up the no-hitter with a ground ball single through the left touchline. Bo Bichete put down a single to concede knights. Criswell got another batter and slammed Alejandro Kirk up before being drawn for JT Chargois, who got Teoscar Hernandez to land in a double to end the inning. Chargeois would stay in the game to work out a clean fifth inning.

There was drama at the end of the sixth. Javy Guerra handed Guerrero a ringing double and then lost control of a 99 mph fastball that ricocheted off the brim of Bichette’s helmet. Bo was a bit shaken but not injured and was able to stay in the game. After Kirk finished the inning, Berrios hit Francisco Mejia in the glute to open the seventh. Whether it was intentional is unclear. Would have been a silly thing but then again the timing is suspicious and while I’m sure Guerra didn’t try to get the go-ahead it was quite a scary moment as Bo went down and the Jays were pissed. Anyway, Berrios got another batter, a foul fly out from Taylor Walls, and was raised for Yimi Garcia. Yandy Diaz immediately landed in a double play to end the inning.

Colin Poche worked for Tampa Bay at the bottom of seventh place and defended a 2-1 lead. He allowed Matt Chapman a bloop single, but the Jays were otherwise unable to do anything about him.

Garcia stayed home to take care of the eighth. After two routine ground-outs, he hit Arozarena in the hand. This was definitely not on purpose, it was an 0-2 pitch that just seeped up and in a bit, but it was the end of Garcia’s night anyway as John Schneider challenged Tim Mayza to play left Peralta. Kevin Cash countered by subbing in Wander Franco, who is just working his way back into the lineup after a long stint in IL. He chopped an easy ball to Santiago Espinal in second for the third out.

At the bottom of the inning, the Rays called out setup man Jason Adam and made six defensive substitutions to maintain their one-run lead. Raimel Tapia lined a single and stole the second, but Springer landed and Vlad hit with a racquet, putting it all on Bichette’s shoulders. Looking past the Rays’ hoisted defense, Bo decided to just smash them right over them, launching a two-run homer over the glove of a jumping Arozarena to give Toronto a 3-2 lead.

With the lead secured, Jordan Romano came in to end it. Manuel Margot took the lead with a fly ball that was pinched down the middle, but defensive sub Jackie Bradely jr. made a phenomenal running catch as he bounced off the wall to turn seemingly safe extra bases into an out. Romano tipped his cap to his midfielder and took it from there, punching Isaac Paredes (punch for Aranda) and getting Mejia to land first.

Jay of the day: Romano (), Bichette (.728) and Tapia (.123) had the number. Berrios didn’t, but I give him a nod anyway as the go-ahead run wasn’t his fault and he kept a sleepy offense in it, just enough for Bo’s heroics to matter. Jackie Bradley Jr. doesn’t have an EPA at all as it never made it to the plate, but this catch also deserves a hat tip.

Not as much: Springer (-0.117), Kirk (-0.170) and Hernandez (-0.169)

There’s a double header coming up tomorrow. Game one will see Alek Manoah (14-7, 2.42) take on Jeffrey Springs (7-4, 2.54) with the first pitch scheduled for 1:07 p.m. ET. Game two follows at 7:07 p.m. The Jays will likely form Mitch White, although that’s unconfirmed. The Rays’ starter has not been announced.