16.11.2019, 08:56
CINCINNATI – Theres a lot to say about what happened at Great American Ballpark on Friday night but Erik Kratz needed only three words to aptly describe a 14-9 Blue Jays win over the Reds. China Jerseys Wholesale . "It was awesome," he said. Coming off an ugly three-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees, Toronto found itself in a deep hole early after the Reds put an eight spot up on starter Liam Hendriks (six runs in 1 2/3 innings pitched) and Todd Redmond in the second. All seemed lost, but then the offence, relatively dormant in a stretch of nine losses in 12 games, came to life. As it is with these Blue Jays, as it seems it must be, home runs played a significant role in the comeback. Edwin Encarnacion hit two. The first was the most important. Encarnacion took Mat Latos deep for a three-run shot in the third, a comparatively meek answer to Cincinnatis eight runs the half-inning prior, but the Jays were on the board nonetheless. Brett Lawrie hit a one out homer in the seventh to cut the deficit to 9-6. Three batters later, pinch hitter Juan Francisco hit a two-run shot off journeyman Reds reliever Jumbo Diaz. The score was 9-8, officially nail-biting time for the 33,103 predomiantly Reds fans in attendance. Encarnacion sealed the deal with another three-run home run in the ninth. By that time the Jays were ahead and the second deck shot extended the lead to 14-9. Suddenly, Encarnacion is baseballs leader with 23 home runs. He has three in two games, a sign hes coming out of his slump. "I think we got the emotion back," said Encarnacion. "Everybody in the dugout felt very happy. We felt we could come back." Starting catcher, Dioner Navarro, hit a two out, game-tying double off Jonathan Broxton in the eighth. His replacement in a double switch, Erik Kratz, hit the go-ahead double off flamethrower Aroldis Chapman in the ninth. That Jays put up runs on Cincinnatis formidable one-two bullpen punch (Broxton had a 0.40 ERA entering the game, Chapman a 0.98 ERA) was a feat in itself. "His ball, it comes out of a different slot, too," said Kratz of Chapman, who consistently throws a fastball harder than 100 miles per hour. "Hes coiled up and he comes at you with the noise and thats why hes had so much success." Adam Lind contributed a pinch hit RBI single. Jose Bautista walked four times. Brett Lawrie, who missed Thursdays game in New York with a bruised hand, returned and had three hits. Lawrie was one of six Blue Jays who registered a multi-hit performance. "Yeah, wed lost three in a row," said Kratz. "Yeah, we had lost three in a row but I dont think anybody was sitting here, like, Uh, are we going to win another game? Just like when we had won nine in a row but nobody ever said we had to win 20 in a row. We tried to win our 10th in a row and I think thats something the team does incredibly well. You saw tonight, grinding out each at-bat. Each at-bat that we grind out is just the way were going to play the game. We cant beat anybody tomorrow but we can beat them today." Manager John Gibbons wasnt aware of the specific details but hes been around long enough to know these types of comebacks are historic. "I may never see another game like that, you may never see another game like that so enjoy it and hope it leads to better things," said Gibbons. The eight-run comeback marked the second largest deficit the Blue Jays have overcome in the franchises 38-year history. Long-time fans, certainly those old enough to remember, will recall June 4, 1989 with fondness. The Jays trailed the Red Sox 10-0 at Fenway Park and rallied for a 13-11 win in 12 innings. VOTTO TALKS ENCARNACION Toronto-born Joey Votto is taking it in from a distance. Hes enjoying the success his former teammate and good buddy, Edwin Encarnacion, is enjoying in Vottos hometown. "Hes a teammate that I really am very fond of and Im very proud of him, how well hes done," said Votto. "There are some guys you tune into and you almost, I dont want to use the word awe but you watch and you think to yourself, what do I have to do to get my swing to that point? That May stretch certainly was like that and he and Bautista are two really fun guys to watch." Encarnacions 23 home runs lead Baltimores Nelson Cruz (22). His 62 RBIs also lead the Majors. So enamored was Votto with Encarnacions 16-home run month of May, he sent Encarnacion a text on the afternoon of May 29. Votto admitted the message was profanity-laced and jokingly disparaging. He called upon Encarnacion to hit two home runs in the Jays game against the Royals that night. Encarnacion did just that. "He didnt answer me back until the second home run in the seventh inning," said Votto. "He responded back that night and I asked for some hitting tips. He was kind of coy about it." Encarnacion and Votto were teammates in Cincinnati from the time Votto broke in to the big leagues, in 2007, until Encarnacion was traded to the Blue Jays in 2009. BAUTISTA AND TWITTER Jose Bautista is amongst the major leaguers most active on social media. He has accounts on Twitter and Instagram (@joeybats19) and maintains Facebook and Youtube pages. "Its part of being an athlete today," said Bautista. "If youre not taking advantage of social media and using it to interact with your fans and giving them a sneak peak into your personal life and how you prepare and what youre about then shame on you." If you give Bautista a Twitter follow, chances are hell follow you back. Bautista is closing in on 514-thousand followers. He follows almost 230-thousand accounts. "Im glad Ive been able to use it in the right way I believe," said Bautista. "Just connecting with the fans and giving them the access that theyve wanted for so long." China Jerseys Stitched . Pretty good hitting, too. Dan Haren pitched six innings and sparked the go-ahead rally with a single, leading Los Angeles to another win over the skidding Atlanta Braves, 4-2 on Tuesday night. China Jerseys Cheap . - Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick as the Prince Albert Raiders stormed past the Swift Current Broncos 5-2 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ . It is unclear how long Kallstrom, who was brought in to alleviate the teams midfield problems, will be sidelined. Arsenals communications director, Mark Gonnella, says the club decided to proceed with Kallstroms signing despite the injury.MINNEAPOLIS -- Felix Hernandez stopped another slide for Seattle on Sunday. Hernandez pitched eight strong innings and Robinson Cano had four hits and the Mariners defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-2. The Mariners were winless since King Felixs previous start, but Hernandez (5-1) helped snap their four-game skid by giving up two runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking one. "Its always a confidence builder coming to the park when we know hes pitching. Typically we know that we dont have to put up too many runs to come out with a W," Mariners right fielder Michael Saunders said. Hernandez has been especially tough on the Twins in recent years. In his past four starts against Minnesota, he has pitched 34 innings and allowed three earned runs with 30 strikeouts. "Its the same old story -- really good stuff," Twins left fielder Jason Kubel said of facing Hernandez. "Hes just tough, one of the toughest guys to hit." The Twins, who have won three straight series and six of nine overall, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a rally keyed by a successful replay challenge. With a man on first and nobody out, shortstop Danny Santana hit a dribbler to first baseman Justin Smoak, who flipped the ball to Hernandez covering at first. Santana was ruled out on the play, but replays showed that his foot hit the bag just before the pitcher arrived. Hernandez almost got out of the jam, striking out Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer on two-strike sliders, but Trevor Plouffe scored both runners with a two-out single to right-centre to put Minnesota on top 2-0. "I made one mistake," Hernandez said of his performance on Sunday. "I left that slider a little bit up against Plouffe and he got that hit. It was off the plate, but he put a good swing on it. "I was a little (angry). I did not put a zero on the scoreboard. After that I made better pitches." Meanwhile, after Twins starter Ricky Nolasco (2-4) breezed through the first three innings, the Mariners rallied by going deep in the count aand making Nolasco work the second time through the order. Cheap Jerseys From China. They got one run back on Kyle Seagers RBI single in the fourth, but they also drove up Nolascos pitch count by making him throw 33 pitches that inning. Nolascos ability to avoid trouble ran out in the fifth. James Jones led off with an infield single, then scored on Michael Saunders triple to right field. Cano followed with a shot off the centre field wall for an RBI double that gave Seattle a 3-2 lead. By the end of the inning, Nolasco had thrown 100 pitches and was done for the day. And Hernandez had all the runs he needed to snap that losing streak. "With that guy over there, you have to play perfect baseball," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We didnt do that. We gave them a few too many chances, and when you give them chances like that, thats what happens." Saunders added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, Justin Smoak had an RBI double in the seventh and Cano scored on a wild pitch in the ninth as the Mariners pulled away. Mariners closer Fernando Rodney worked a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation to cap what Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon called an "ideal" day. "Our starter went eight and we got our closer some much-needed work," McClendon said. "It was perfect." Notes: McClendon said that the team will decide later this week whether 1B/OF Logan Morrison is ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Morrison has missed five weeks with a strained right hamstring. ... Seattle DH Corey Hart left the game in the fourth inning after straining his left hamstring while stealing second base. ... Canos single in the fourth extended his on-base streak to 26 games, the longest in the major leagues this year. ... The Twins will send RHP Kevin Correia (1-5, 6.80) to the mound when they open a two-game series at San Diego on Tuesday. ... The Mariners also have a day off Monday. They will travel to Texas for a two-game set against the Rangers, with RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (2-0, 1.59) starting on Tuesday. 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