At some point, likely soon, something will have to change with the 2024 Toronto Blue Jays.
On Sunday afternoon, they played the rubber match against the Washington Nationals, falling 11-8 to move to 16-19. The loss also marks the fourth straight series that the team has lost.
Alek Manoah made his first start of the season, eventually walking in a run in the bottom of the first inning. However, it counted as an unearned run due to a Bo Bichette error, so that’s good.
Speaking of unearned runs, Washington starter MacKenzie Gore was tagged with four unearned runs. In the top of the second, Gore made an error allowing Isiah Kiner-Falefa to reach base (and Daulton Varsho to score). After an Ernie Clement single, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a grand slam, his first home run in ages.
The Blue Jays jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the top of the third with an Isiah Kiner-Falefa single, but Luis García Jr. hit a home run to make it 6-2.
It all went downhill in the bottom of the fourth, but it didn’t look that way from the start. With runners on second and third, the Blue Jays were one run away from getting out of the inning, but García Jr. hit a single that scored two. Just two batters later, Jesse Winker homered to make it a 7-6 game.
The Blue Jays would tie and even take the lead in the top of the fifth, as Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a sac fly, before Ernie Clement reached on an error which scored Daulton Varsho.
However, the bullpen once again struggled, as García Jr. once again hit a single to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. Rosario would later hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh off Erik Swanson, with the Nats adding another run in the bottom of the eighth.
Things worth mentioning…
Up until the fourth inning, it looked like it was going to be a good outing for Manoah as he had given up just one earned run and was one out away from leaving two runners in scoring position. However, the runs scored, and he finished with a line of 4 IP, 6 H, 6 ER (7 R), 4 BB, 6 K with two home runs given up.
The last time Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a home run was in the first Yankee series in New York, the third series of the year. He’s been smacking the ball lately, hopefully he can start to elevate it soon.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa has had an okay season this year, but he played well Sunday as he drove in three runs and had two hits.
Davis Schneider should never sit on the bench again, as he went 2-3 with two walks and a double. He needs to be in the lineup every day.
Up next: It’ll be the first Monday off for the Blue Jays this season, as they’ll prepare for that weird two-game series against a National League team. On Tuesday and Wednesday, they’ll face off against the Philadelphia Phillies, with José Berríos starting Tuesday’s game.
me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.
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