Jays lose a tough one at Fenway

Here's an article originally written for Sports Haze. It can be found at http://sportshaze.com/toronto/toronto-blue-jays/jays-lose-a-tough-one-at-fenway-3006'

The Red Sox used a strong start and had an impressive game from Jed Lowrie, and Josh Beckett to beat the
Jays Saturday afternoon in Boston.

Beckett pitched seven impressive innings, giving up only three hits and two walks while striking out nine. Lowrie led the way offensively for the Sox, going 3-5 with a two run bomb in the second inning.

No-No Jo-Jo

Sorry Jays fans, not that kind of no no. Jays starter Jo Jo Reyes struggled again for the Jays, lasting only three innings before getting sent to the showers. Reyes struggled from the get-go, giving up two runs before even recording his first out in the first inning. Reyes was lucky to escape with only two runs against in the first, but it was more of the same in the second.

Lowrie hit a two run homer to give the Sox a 4-1 lead in the second, putting the game out of reach for the Jays. Reyes ended up leaving the game after the third, giving up seven hits and five walks while only recording nine outs. He finished with a pathetic 4.00 WHIP.

Aaron Hill getting off the shnide

In Tim Ziegler’s preview for this series, he mentioned three players who need to up their game from last series, Adam Lind, Aaron Hill and Travis Snider. While both Lind and Hill had strong games last night, Hill really continued his strong play on Saturday at Fenway.

He smacked a double in the first inning, walked once, and had a debateable infield single in the ninth that was eventually marked as an error. Even with that hit taken away, Hill still finished the day 1-3, got on base in three out of his five ABs, and scored a run. He also ran the bases very aggressively, which leads us to the next point...

Running Wild

John Farrell wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted to run more this year. The Jays continued with their running ways against Boston, stealing three bases and getting caught one other time.

Toronto’s aggressiveness on the base paths has been welcomed this year, but John McDonald’s attempted steal in the eighth inning was one example of a time where maybe the Jays should have let the situation play itself out.

McDonald led off the inning with an infield single, and with no outs and the top of the order coming up for Toronto, he was caught stealing, easily, by Jason Varitek.

It wasn’t all bad on the bases for the Jays though, as Aaron Hill’s savvy base running in the second inning produced Toronto’s only run. Hill hit a screamer off the Monster, and instead of watching the ball in flight, immediately began tearing around the bases. He managed to make it in to second with a sliding double.

With one out, Snider came up next and hit a sinking liner to right. Hill read it off the bat, and was off and running right away, allowing him to beat out the throw at the plate.

Golden glove work all around

This game was an absolute clinic for defensive baseball.

For Boston, Adrian Gonzalez robbed Corey Patterson not once, not twice, but three times at first base. Gonzalez made three separate diving stops against the Jays center fielder, giving Patterson a very misleading 0-4 day at the plate. It’s safe to say Patterson will be seeing Gonzo in his nightmares tonight.

John McDonald, the Jays pint sized defenvie dynamo, was even more impressive. He made three fantastic diving plays at third base, two of them coming at key points in the game.

With the Sox already up 4-1 and Mike Cameron having singled to start the third, McDonald made a diving stop on Jason Varitek and managed to complete the 5-4-3 double play, helping the Jays and Jo Jo Reyes stay at a reasonable deficit.

He also robbed Jacoby Ellsbury in the eighth, as the speedy Boston outfielder sliced one hard to third with two outs and runners at second and third. McDonald managed to stop the ball, get up and fire it across the diamond just in time to get Ellsbury at first, allowing the Jays to escape the inning unscathed.

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