2022 Game Ten: Blue Jays 4, Athletics 3

 

In addition to how cool Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s hair looks
in this photograph, please consider about how happy
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. must be with how cool his hair
looks in this photograph.

This was a lot of fun! "Big Puma" Alek Manoah (I think Pete Walker rightly understands nicknaming as a crucial aspect of coaching, and in no way distinct from the mechanical aspects of his vocation) proved once again our most reliable starting pitcher, more or less cruising through a two-runs-on-four-hits-(couple-walks)-in-six-complete kind of day, while the bats just put things together a run at a time: Springer on a Gurriel sac fly in the first; Zack Collins (!) on an Espinal single in the second; Gurriel on a Chapman single in the third; and Gurriel whipping around the bases on a throwing error that sent the ball sailing far wide of A's charismatic second baseman Tony Kemp. Cavan Biggio made a nice diving catch in right field, Bo Bichette had a pair of hits (hopefully he gets everything straightened out [it's been a little rough {though not in the field}]), and Vladdy made a nice toss to Tim Mayza, who then made a fairly spectacular diving tag to get the runner at first. I felt good for Vladdy to have another good day in the field, because ever since the three-homer game against the Yankees, it's been rough: 0-4 (4K), 2-3 (HR, 1B, BB), 0-4, 0-4 (3K). If it's getting him down, it has not really shown up on the dugout camera yet, which revealed a very tender hug with Bo, and also a neat moment where Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was attending to Vladdy's hair whilst George Springer attended to Gurriel's (there's a lot of look to be maintained, team-wide). Oh, also on Springer: early on, he was called out for interfering with the A's catcher, preventing a throw down to second when the follow-through on his swing took him in front of the plate, and he sure was mad about it, but I think it was the correct call. I bet he was mostly just mad at himself, honestly, but we don't always express that in ways that are respectful of the people around us.

On to Fenway for three! But first, an off-day, the first of the season, which feels weird for me, but is probably welcomed by the players (I guess).

KS