Blue Jays take-aways: It was raining hits against the Angels — after the skies cleared
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/04/2021 (1674 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The view from Deep Left Field on Saturday’s Blue Jays-Angels game:
IN THE BIG INNING
The Blue Jays had to wait through the Florida rain to get the game started, but following a two-hour-and-38-minute delay they strapped on their hitting shoes and got to work.
The Jays had their biggest inning of the season in the bottom of the second, scoring seven runs to match the total of the prior three games put together, on the way to a 15-1 victory.
It started with a single by Santiago Espinal, who was making his season debut after being called up earlier in the day, and went on to feature three walks (two with the bases loaded), a three-run double by Randal Grichuk, Josh Palacios’ first big-league hit, a bunt single and another single by Espinal, which drove in the seventh run.
But the inning wouldn’t have happened without some heady baserunning by Jonathan Davis, who walked behind Espinal’s first single. Danny Jansen followed with a ground ball to first, and Davis ran right in the line where Angels first baseman Albert Pujols needed to throw in order to make a play at second, forcing Pujols to almost shot-put the ball, lofting it over Davis’ head. The throw had nothing on it, and was so late that not only had shortstop Jose Iglesias already tagged the bag and moved past it, but Davis was right on top of him as he went to throw to first — forcing an errant return throw that, after about 20 minutes of replay review, allowed the inning’s first run to score.
If Davis doesn’t take the path he did, it’s a double-play and the Jays have two out and a runner on third. But he did, so they were left with two on, nobody out and a run across, and went on to score another six before the inning was over.
SECOND TIME’S THE CHARM
Palacios went hitless in his major-league debut on Friday night, but he more than made up for it on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Brooklynite had four singles in his second sortie — the second-inning bunt as well as a line drive each to left and right field and a ground ball up the middle.
After being told Friday that he was getting the call to the big club by Triple-A manager Casey Candaele and coach Devon White, Palacios phoned a few family members during the 10-minute drive from the minor-league complex to TD Ballpark, including his uncle Rey Palacios, who played 101 games over parts of three seasons with the Kansas City Royals from 1988-90.
When he spoke to Uncle Rey, Josh said he was told: “It’s about time! But you’ve still got a long way to go to catch me.”
That’s very true in one sense, but not so much in another. Rey Palacios was a light-hitting utility player who had a hard time conquering the Mendoza Line, batting .193 for his career.
Josh Palacios left the ballpark after Saturday night’s win with a career batting average of .571 — though, granted, in only seven at-bats. Having been hit by a pitch in his final trip Friday night and drawn a walk Saturday, he’s reached base in six straight plate appearances.
He might have a long way to go, but young Josh already has a four-hit game to his credit. Uncle Rey’s career high for hits in a month? Five.
HEY, BERT
Before the game, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a chat in the outfield with Pujols, and after their conversation broke up the Jays slugger called Espinal over to introduce the rookie to the future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Espinal shook Pujols’ hand shyly and they spoke very briefly before going back to their respective sides of the field, but the young Blue Jay wound up being a constant companion of Pujols’ all night.
They got to hang out at first three times, twice in the second inning alone and again in the seventh, after Espinal grounded into a fielder’s choice. In the fourth, Espinal sped past Pujols on his way to second base for his first double of the season.
Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @wilnerness