Marc Rzepczynski melted quicker than an ice cube on a Texas night as he came in close down the game with the Jays up 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth and he got ahead of pinch hitter and a Jay for a split second Mike Napoli 0 and 2 but then walked him which was first walk by a Jays pitcher in the game. This was followed by a bunt back to Rzepczynski by Mitch Moreland and Rzepczynski barehanded it and throw to first which may or may not have pulled Adam Lind's foot off the bag so it should of been a runner on second with a good throw and came back to hurt as Rzepczynski hit the showers. Jon Rauch did a great job in the situation as he covered his position as he played Ian Kinsler's bunt and got him out at first for out one and then he covered Elvis Andrus bunt and throw home but Napoli scored but J.P. made his smartest defensive play of the game by throw to first to get Elvis Andrus out and it would of ended the game if it was not for RZepczynski's fielding error. Then after fielding gems by the likes Edwin Encarnacion (those footsteps he is hearing most of smarted him up), Arron Hill, and even a sliding catch by Travis Snider that took a run of the board for the Rangers Cory Patterson was brought into the game as a defensive replacement for Eric Thames and Michael Young hit the ball in his direction and he had no clue what was going on as he was fumbling over his own feet as the ball went over his head and Craig Gentry who was the pinch runner for Mitch Moreland scored to win the game 5-4.
So the Jays starter Carlos Villanueva throw over 30 pitches in the first inning and gave up back - to - back two out singles to Josh Hamilton and Michael Young in the first inning but got out of it without given up a run and then after that he pitched more effectively except that he kept given up hits and it turned into a run in the third (Josh Hamilton RBI triple), fourth (Chris Davis RBI single), and the fifth (Nelson Cruz RBI double) to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead.
After the Jays got a gift runner of Yunel Escobar as Elvis Andrus had a fielding error but then he cut down trying to steal second before a double sandwich as Thames doubled and Lind had a RBI double which was built around a strike out of Jose Bautista to give the Jays the first run which has been a good recipe just not tonight. Then the Jays hit for the cycle in the sixth inning as J.P. hit his 15th homer which went with his inability to throw a runner out which was followed by Yunel Escobar doubled and then Eric Thames had a RBI triple who was driven in by RBI single by Jose Bautista to give the Jays the 4-3 lead.
The good things about tonight's game were that Eric Thames and Yunel Escobar both had two hits and the defense until the ninth inning and the Jays were 3 for 5 with runners in scoring position and left only one runner on base before the ninth inning. The bad is that Travis Snider had a horrible night at the plate striking out his first 3 at bats and the fourth at bat in the ninth inning he ended the inning with a fly out to Josh Hamilton leaving two on base and then the bottom of the ninth hurt.
Jays still need a victory before coming back to the Rogers Centre
Tom Mehegan
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