Offense Missing, Jays Lose To Royals

Stop me if you've heard this one, the Jays got a good start from Chris Bassitt but couldn't hit and lost.

Bassitt gave up 3 runs in the sixth (helped along by the Jays playing the infield in). In all, 6 innings, 4 hits, 3 earned, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. All four of the hits against came in the sixth inning. A couple of those hits might not have been if the Jays weren't playing the infield back.

Trevor Richard pitched a clean seventh.

On the other hand, Nate Pearson didn't pitch a clean eighth. He started the inning with a strikeout, then got a ground ball from Bobby Witt that he should have let go by, but he tried to field it, deflected it away from our infielders, and turned it into a single. Vinnie Pasquantino followed with another single. I thought we were okay after Sal Perez hit a flyout, but Michael Massey hit a 2-2 pitch out of the park, and we were down 6-1.

Brendon Little, who I forgot was on the team, pitched the ninth.

On offense, Vladimir Guerrero singled in the first. We didn't get our second hit until two out in the seventh when Danny Jansen homered. We'd get one more hit in the eighth, a George Springer single and one in the nine, Daniel Vogelbach doubled.

A weird moment was Sal Perez getting hit on the hand, while swinging. The umpire thought it hit the bat and the catcher caught it for strike three. But then he asked the first base ump if there was a swing. He said no. He was wrong, it was a swing. But the Royals challenged to see if it hit the bat or the player. Clearly hit the hands. But the swing or not swing isn't something that can be challenged. So even though they got to see it was a swing, they wouldn't call it.

No one gets a Jay of the Day. Vlad had the high mark at .050 for his single and walk (the only Jay to reach base twice).

The Other Award: Pearson (-.112), and let's give one to Bichette (-.082, for an 0 for 4) as a representative of the pathetic showing by our offense. The entire batting lineup, minus Vlad and Danny, deserves the Award.

Tomorrow is an off day. The Jays are then going to Washington to play the Nationals. They might score occasionally.