Jays silence Orioles with Manoah magic and Guerrero’s ‘(bleeping) sick’ defence
Manoah #Manoah
Three things you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 4-1 win over the Orioles in Baltimore on Wednesday:
The ace
As the Orioles celebrated a win on Tuesday night, the Jays dugout emptied save for Alek Manoah. The 24-year-old pitcher sat stone-faced, staring out at the home team. Perhaps he was visualizing how his outing would go Wednesday, or beginning the process of getting mentally locked in for his start in the series finale. Either way, it worked.
The right-hander was brilliant in shutting down a Baltimore offence that had scored nine runs the night before, allowing a first-inning run and nothing more over eight innings of three-hitter. He struck out five against a single walk and retired 22 of the final 23 hitters he faced.
The win gives the Jays a 4 1/2-game bulge on the Orioles, their closest pursuers for the final playoff spot in the American League, and drew them within a half-game of Seattle for the second wild card.
Flippin’ magic
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could be looking at a Gold Glove this season, and a play he made in the third inning might help him get there.
Baltimore rookie sensation Adley Rutschman hit a weak ground ball toward first base with one out, and Guerrero calmly directed Manoah to cover the bag. Guerrero fielded the ball cleanly and flipped it behind his back, hitting Manoah in stride on his way to first for the out.
“That was (bleeping) sick,” Manoah said to his first baseman as he went back to the mound.
Losing Lourdes
The Jays scored their first run in the top of the second, when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hustled to first base to beat out a double-play attempt with the bases loaded. He lunged toward the bag and hit in awkwardly, however, crumpling in a heap. Gurriel eventually walked off the field under his own power with what the Jays later announced was left hamstring discomfort.
Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast “Deep Left Field.” Follow him on Twitter: @wilnerness SHARE:
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