Pitchers duel in Toronto
posted in 2007 season, Toronto Blue Jays |Game 10: Detroit at Toronto, 7:07, FSN+
Jeremy Bonderman (0-0, 3.75) vs. Roy Halladay (1-0, 3.46)
Pregame thoughts: Cut short because I didn’t leave much time before work, I’ll point out the obvious on this one. This should be a great pitcher’s duel between two guys who should be favorites to finish second in the Cy Young race. They met in the season opener in Detroit, both giving up three runs. Bonderman gave his three up early, Halladay at bit later, and the bullpens settled that game.
Pudge has some luck off Halladay, so he’ll be batting third, Beck pointed out.
Postgame thoughts (Jays, 2-1, 10 innings): I had no idea it would be that much of a pitcher’s duel. We really are flashing back to an earlier era. Jeremy Bonderman pitched nine innings and gave up one run. Roy Halladay pitched 10(!) innings and gave up one run. That is absolutely incredible to have two pitchers dealing like that and two managers who allow them to go the whole way in the same game.
Bonderman’s pitch count was up there, but with only 96 pitches he could have gone a 10th inning probably. That would have been a really classic matchup. But without seeing the game, I have no clue if Bondo was tiring or not. Leyland knows he has a good bullpen so he probably felt comfortable calling on it. Little did he know Fernando Rodney would allow three infield hits — two on bunts — without getting an out.
Oh God. I just realized. Bunt Singles.
Update: I just saw the replay of the 10th inning on FSN. Rodney made a bad decision the first bunt, which was well placed but may have resulted in one out and the runner on second. The next bunt was perfect. Nothing anybody could have done. Runners would have been on first and third with one out. He’d have needed a strikeout to survive. It would have been slightly easier to get out of the inning unscathed if he allowed Sean Casey to make the play on the first bunt. But Toronto executed so perfectly I’m pretty certain there was absolutely nothing the Tigers could have done differently except strike ‘em out. Just tip your caps to the Jays for the victory.
But getting back to Bonderman, it’s early in the season, so I can’t fault Leyland for pulling him. In either case, he’s one heck of a pitcher, dueling Halladay evenly twice already this season. Bondo had four strikeouts in this game and no walks. Somewhat surprisingly, Halladay only racked up two strikeouts.
Too bad his team didn’t get him the win. I guess it would have been too much to ask for a second victory in a pitcher’s duel after Wednesday’s 11 scoreless innings. Too bad Detroit’s offense keeps getting itself into this. The batters faced Halladay, an excellent pitcher. But they made some lesser pitchers look excellent, too
It can be a bit frustrating. Verlander and Bonderman have 0 wins and 0 losses between them while each having a WHIP of 1.0. Bonderman has an ERA in the mid-2s. Verlander has an ERA in the low 0.00s. In the five games they started, the Tigers are 2-3.
(Just because I’m listening to the A’s in the 11th, I’ll point out Dan Haren was 0-2 with an ERA of .69 going into today’s game. So things could be worse. He’ll remain 0-2 with an ERA of 2.00 after today but easily could have been 0-3 without some late heroics by the A’s Eric Chavez… and A’s won).
The good news is the Tigers still have the best record in the A.L., a 3-way tie at 6-4 that means little in itself but shows some positives. Detroit has five wins on the road already, still the most in baseball, which is definitely a good sign. And you know the offense can’t stay this cold. It just can’t. So, I just look to a few positives right now. It stinks to lose, but the overall picture is fine.
Around the Central:
Chicago 6, Cleveland 4: Juan Uribe is on fire. He hit his third homer of the season and added four RBIs for nine, helping the White Sox (5-4) beat the Indians (4-3) in Cleveland’s…uhm… home opener? Javy Vazquez got the victory.
Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 2: Johan Santana’s home-winning streak ended at 17 games — the Twins won all 24 starts — when the unlikely Devil Rays derailed him behind ace Scott Kazmir. Carl Crawford had an in-the-park homer for the Rays. Minnesota remains tied for first with a 6-4 record. (AP story)
Baltimore 8, K.C. 1: Brandon Duckworth got payback for owning the Tigers last game. Unfortunately the O’s were the ones to collect it. Nick Markakis homered for the O’s. Reggie Sanders went 3-for-4 for the Royals (3-8).
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