2022 Game Ninety-Three: Blue Jays 4, Royals 2

 

bring it: on in

I have always found the last series before the All-Star break to be the most emotionally fraught of the whole season, for whatever happens within its bounds, you cannot help but carry with you beyond those bounds and indeed pretty much into the whole week, or at least until the season resumes the Friday after -- an unnatural length of time to have to sit with, say, a series split against a Kansas City squad that had left nearly half of their roster at home because they were scared of needles, or whatever (plus Sal Perez was legitimately hurt [love you, Sal; get better, man]). But thanks to Alejandro Kirk's two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth (I am checking to confirm that it was Vladdy who was aboard and . . . yes, it was Vladdy who was aboard) we were spared that pretty dark fate, and can be reasonably content taking three of four to head into the break not only in sole possession of a playoff spot, but arguably in sole possession of the finest first-found playoff spot of them all: the one where you get to play Minnesota (I am still of the view that sixth is better than fourth or fifth! change my mind!). Earlier in the day, Jordan Romano was named to the AL All-Star team, joining Santiago Espinal, Alek Manoah, George Springer (declined), and starters Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk. That probably felt pretty good the morning after he gave up the tenth-inning homer that made him visibly sad! For me, this game was a radio-only affair, and I was in a bit of a rough way for it, but Ben Wagner's call helped me through. The days of Jerry Howarth have come and gone, but Ben Wagner makes me feel that loss less acutely than I otherwise would. He does a good job, and we're lucky to have him. 

KS