Toronto Blue Jays, Game 21: One That Got Away

Toronto's winning streak came to an end when a 5-1 lead to start the 7th turned into a 6-5 deficit and eventual 7-5 loss on Monday night.

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When you have a 5-1 lead heading into the seventh, you have to close it out, plain and simple. That’s the situation the Toronto Blue Jays found themselves in on Monday and before they could get the final seven outs, they gave up six runs to hand a victory to the Chicago White Sox in the opener of their Monday-to-Wednesday three-game set.

After giving up a first inning run for the third straight game, the Jays got out in front with two in their half and three more in the Bottom of the 3rd to take a commanding lead. With Marcus Stroman on the hill, a four-run cushion felt like it was going to be enough, but the White Sox turned the tables with a five-run seventh where Chicago batted around against three different Toronto pitchers, moving runners station-to-station to take the lead.

The game actually shifted on a sharp-hit ball up the middle that caromed off Stroman when the Sox had two on and one out. The Toronto ace tried to make a behind the back stab on the ball, but missed, sending it skyward. He was able to corral the ball and still get Dionner Navarro at first, but had it gone through, the Jays likely turn two and get out of the frame.

Instead, the inning continued, Stroman walked the next batter before getting replaced by Brett Cecil and then the wheels fell off.

Adam Eaton drove in two. Jimmy Rollins knocked in another. A Cecil walk brought Gavin Floyd into the game and Todd Frazier promptly doubled into the left field corner, putting Chicago up 6-5. They’d get an insurance run in the top of the ninth that they didn’t end up needing, but it looked like they might when the Jays put two on with two out against closer David Robertson with hot-hitting outfielder Michael Saunders at the dish.

Having already homered in his first game after sitting out the weekend, Saunders hit a chopper off the plate towards second that looked like trouble. With Saunders charging down the line, Troy Tulowitzki tried to shield Brett Lawrie from the ball and it worked… except it took a weird hop and hit “Tulo” in the arm and the game was over.

Coughing up the lead was bad enough, but for it to end on such an awkward play that you couldn’t duplicate if you tried makes it sting even more. This is one the Jays should have had, no doubt about it.

Player of the Game: Michael Saunders

Returning after a three-game hiatus, Saunders may have been bumped from the leadoff spot, but his bat remained hot as the Canadian outfielder went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI to push his average to .345.

This is the kind of production the Jays, like the Seattle Mariners before them, envisioned from the left-handed hitting Saunders, but he’s struggled with injury issues, including missing the majority of last season after suffering a knee injury in Spring Training. While he’s had some maintenance days and missed the Oakland series, Saunders has remained consistent and locked in at the dish.

If he can stay off the DL and keep playing well, the British Columbia native could have a career year in 2016.

On Deck: Another reason coughing up Monday’s opener sucks? Now Toronto has to face Chicago ace Chris Sale, who is already 4-0 and sports a 1.80 ERA. The Jays counter with R.A. Dickey, who is 1-2 with a 6.10 ERA this year and 2-5 with a 7.40 ERA in his career against the White Sox.

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