Blue Jays Update: August 5th 2009

August 4th Game Complete

New York Yankees 5 (W 64-42)
Toronto Blue Jays 3 (L 51-55)

Andy Pettitte (W, 9-6)
Roy Halladay (L, 11-5)


Game Notes:

Roy Halladay pitched yet another complete game on Tuesday evening, but took the loss, allowing three Yankee home runs from three different Yankee players.

Very uncharacteristic of a Halladay outing.

The Blue Jays made the game an interesting one in the late innings.

After back to back singles from Marco Scutaro and Aaron Hill in the top of the eighth inning off reliever Phil Hughes, followed by back to back strikeouts from Adam Lind and Kevin Millar, Yankees manager Joe Girardi summoned closer Mariano Rivera from the bullpen to face the struggling Vernon Wells.

Wells proceeded to hit a double off Rivera to make the game a 5-3 contest. Alex Rios would ground out to end the eighth inning.

Rivera would come back out for the ninth inning. Rivera got a groundout from Edwin Encarnacion, but than allowed a single to back up catcher Raul Chavez, who had replaced Rod Barajas in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The next batter, Jose Bautista, hit a Rivera cutter deep to centre field where Melky Cabrera would make the catch against the wall. Off the crack off of the bat the ball looked to be out of the park.

Marco Scutaro would hit next and knock a single into right field, pushing Chavez to third.

One long ball is what the Jays needed to give them the win, and up next was their power hitter Aaron Hill.

Hill would end up flying out to Cabrera in centre field, allowing Rivera to record his 31st save of the season.

Marco Scutaro, 2-5, 1 run scored
Aaron Hill, 2-5, 2 runs scored
Vernon Wells, 1-3, 2RBI, 1 double, 1BB

Johnny Damon, 2-4, 1HR, 1RBI, 2 runs scored
Mark Teixeira, 2-4, 1HR, 1RBI, 1 double, 1 run scored
Alex Rodriguez, 2-4, 1RBI, 1 double, 1 run scored
Hideki Matsui, 1-4, 1HR, 1RBI, 1 run scored

Final starting pitching lines for the game:

Roy Halladay - 9IP, 10H, 5R, 4ER, 0BB, 5K
Andy Pettitte - 6.2IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 4BB, 6K

Blue Jays News:

Former Blue Jays second baseman Roberto Alomar attended the game, as an invited guest of the Rogers Centre. Alomar was seated in the TD Comfort Zone, aka the large green comfy couch like chairs on the first baseline side of the field.

Newly acquired Blue Jays third baseman Edwin Encarnacion recorded his first extra base hit in a Blue Jays uniform in last night's game, stroking a double to right field off Andy Pettitte in the bottom of the seventh inning. Encarnacion is only hitting .167 for the Blue Jays in 12 at bats since coming over in the Scott Rolen trade from Cincinnati.

Other Baseball News:

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Yusmeiro Petit was oh so close in pitching a no hitter yesterday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Petit had a no hitter until the eighth inning, when he allowed a single to Pirates light hitting shortstop Ronny Cedeno.

Tuesday night "Hammering" Hank Aaron conducted an interview with the Associated Press in regards to the 2003 PED (Performance Enhancing Drugs) baseball list that is slowly having some major players names leaked.

The interview can be read here: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9893422/Aaron-wants-'03-PED-list-released,-Rose-in-Hall

Aaron had this to say:

"I wish for once and forever that we could come out and say we have 100 and some names, name them all and get it over and let baseball go on,"

"I don't know how they keep leaking out. I just wish that they would name them all and get it over with."

Aaron was also questioned about the possible reinstatement of Pete Rose into baseball, so that Rose may achieve his Hall of Fame status. Aaron had this to say:

"How long does a person have to die?"

"I think the thing that bothers me is that he is missing out on a lot of things. He made a mistake. I don't know what else can be done, or what else can be said. I just think at some point he needs to start enjoying being a Hall of Famer."