‘Every pitch counted’: Blue Jays craft pivotal series win over Braves
TORONTO — Saturday afternoon was a staring contest, and whereas the Blue Jays squinted, strained and felt tears welling within the corners of their eyes, they by no means blinked.
Toronto’s 5-2 win over Atlanta at Rogers Centre felt like a slice of October on a May afternoon, with two powerhouses taking part in the matchups in a recreation of stars versus stars. It was a struggle in a telephone sales space with little room for error, the precise kind of recreation that the Blue Jays might want to win to get the place they need to go.
“Atlanta is good and [it is] going to continue to be good,” stated supervisor John Schneider, “but I think we’re at the point now where measuring sticks are out the window. We come into a series expecting to win.”
The Blue Jays did many small issues proper on Saturday, from Kevin Kiermaier’s hustle on the bases in a 3-for-4 day to George Springer’s improbable diving catch in proper subject. But the crescendo got here within the seventh.
In the highest half, Toronto begged the Braves to win. A bounced throw from Bo Bichette allowed leadoff hitter Ronald Acuña Jr. to achieve base, and shortly sufficient, Atlanta had the bases loaded with no outs in a tied recreation. The Blue Jays introduced the infield in, although, and Yimi García pressured a groundout to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that got here house, establishing Erik Swanson for the ultimate two outs to flee unscathed. Somehow, the house group danced its approach to the unlikeliest consequence.
“I can’t overstate how good [Swanson] has been and how important he is,” Schneider stated, including that Swanson has been “invaluable” each on and off the sphere.
In the underside of the seventh, Bichette bounced again. After Kiermaier and Springer reached, then pulled off the proper double steal, Bichette flared one to proper subject to present the Blue Jays the lead. Toronto began the inning imperfectly, however within the span of 10 minutes, it did a half-dozen good various things — to not simply restrict the injury, however to do a few of their very own.
“That’s the kind of stuff that lets you win championships,” stated José Berríos, who did his job by holding Atlanta to 2 runs over 5 2/3 innings. “When we play like that, we have to maximize those plays. Every pitch counted. Whether it’s a ground ball or a fly ball, we have to make an out. That’s how you win ball games.”
That double steal accounted for 2 of the 5 swiped luggage the Blue Jays had on Saturday, and whenever you think about a powerful efficiency from the bullpen — led by an excellent Swanson — you see how the items are beginning to come again collectively for this group’s id. It was seen throughout April’s burst of optimism, but it surely light a bit because the Blue Jays performed a looser, extra on-the-fly model of baseball in current weeks.
“This is fun. I think we can still out-homer people,” Bichette stated with a smirk, “but it’s fun. We play hard and we’re ready to perform. It’s fun to be around.”
This fashion is what makes the Blue Jays harmful, increasing their strengths in a approach that covers for his or her inevitable weaknesses. Stretches like these, when Toronto is taking part in its finest baseball, additionally present it’s time for a psychological shift. And it’s one the Blue Jays have already made themselves.
This stretch of 17 video games in 17 days — opening with the Braves, Yankees, Orioles and Rays — is billed as a “test.” That’s the way it’s been for years. But aren’t the Blue Jays a check in their very own proper? When they’re taking part in this precise fashion of baseball, they’re the problem, the litmus check, the measuring stick and every other overused phrase you may throw at them.
The Blue Jays are, as a chemistry trainer with a secret as soon as stated, those who knock.
“Other teams are saying that it’s going to be a tough series when they come in here, too,” Schneider stated. “It’s about understanding that and getting back to what we’re good at, which is having good at-bats, getting good starting pitching and making good defensive plays.”
Atlanta’s stacked lineup and spectacular pitching will problem anybody, however the actuality of the AL East makes the 11 video games that observe this sequence extremely essential. Fewer video games throughout the division means fewer alternatives to create separation, and the AL East appears to be getting stronger by the day.
When the Blue Jays play like themselves, although, they get to manage their very own future.
