Blue Jays 3, Twins 0: Blue birds & boo-birds

This weekend, a rather large contingent of Toronto Blue Jays faithful made the southward border crossing for some Target Field action. While such a migration helps explain the cheers for visitor successes, today’s boo-birds were largely out of the mouths of locals.

Defensively, there were certainly opportunities for catcalls—in fact, one could argue poor defense led to all of Toronto’s offensive output this afternoon. In the top of the 2nd, Alejandro Kirk dunked a ball into a Bermuda Triangle that, quite frankly, an outfielder—so not Willi Castro—probably puts in the glove. 2-0 Jays.

In the top of the 8th, Bo Bichette singled to CF and Castro’s glove was no match for the weak dribbler, going right through the wickets and allowing George Springer to motor all the way around from first base to slide across home.

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

Of course, a team has to actually score a run to have a victory opportunity, and that proved elusive today as well. As Byron Buxton continued to pile up 3-pitch AB strikeouts and Carlos Correa continued to provide bupkis with runners on base, many conical-shaped hand gestures were placed in front of low-register exhales.

Meanwhile, after the Twins squandered a first inning opportunity with the combination of bad base-running and lack of situational or clutch hitting, Toronto starter Jose Berrios settled down and produced a solid line: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER. This despite 6 walks by Jays pitchers overall that produced 8 LOBsters.

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

All in all, this game was an equal-opportunity blame-fest for the offense and defense—deserving of all the cheers for the opposition and boos for the hometown-ers that the mixed crowd provided.

Your final: Blue Jays 3, Twins 0.

Studs:

• Helios, Hemera, Aurora, Sol, Ra, and all other mythological Sun deities that provided another glorious weather day in the Twin Cities.
• Minnesota native Matt Wallner, who has now reached based in 8 consecutive plate appearances.
• Bailey Ober (5 IP, 5 H, 7 K, 1 BB, 2 ER). Despite the Jays having a Murderer’s Row-type batting order, the pitch count—and defense behind him, of course—was his biggest hurdle today. He actually threw the ball really well.

Duds:

• Everything associated with bat-wielders and glove-wearers other than those hailing from Forest Lake, MN or those over 6’9” tall.

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

Comment of the Game:

• When you don’t have anything nice to say, do the Minnesotan thing—like gintzer—and talk about the weather instead.