TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays needed a solid outing by their
bullpen Tuesday night and a not-so-good performance by the New York Mets
relievers to eke out an 8-6 victory.
The Blue Jays (40-45) will
try to complete a sweep of the two-game interleague set Wednesday when
they send out right-hander Marcus Stroman (1-5 Jets Game Jerseys ,
6.02 ERA) at the Rogers Centre. The struggling Mets (33-49) will start
right-hander Corey Oswalt (0-1, 9.82), who will be making his second
career major league start.
The teams split two games at Citi Field on May 15 and 16.
After
trailing 5-0 and 6-1 on Tuesday, the Blue Jays rallied to tie on a
three-run homer by Yangervis Solarte in a five-run seventh and won it on
a two-run homer by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the eighth.
The
Blue Jays will need a solid start from Stroman, who will be making his
third start since returning from the disabled list after being sidelined
with inflammation of the right shoulder. It would help a well-used
bullpen if he could pitch deep into the game.
They lost
their starter Tuesday, right-hander Marco Estrada, after one-third of an
inning. After giving up a two-run homer to Asdrubal Cabrera, Estrada
made two pitches to the next batter before leaving with a sore left hip.
X-rays were negative, but the extent of the injury was not known.
The
Blue Jays needed seven relievers to work through the game. There likely
will be a roster move before the game on Wednesday. Seunghwan Oh was
the only reliever not to pitch for the Blue Jays.
The
victory spoiled the return of former Blue Jays star Jose Bautista, who
was playing in Toronto for the first time since last season. He received
a standing ovation and in five plate appearances, he had three walks
and a single. He also committed a two-base error in right field, letting
a single get past him in the seventh inning.
The Mets,
who have lost 11 of their last 13 games, also had an injury Tuesday.
Catcher Devin Mesoraco, who hit a two-run homer in the second inning,
left the game in the bottom of the seventh after being hit on the helmet
by an errant pitch and by a backswing in consecutive innings. Manager
Mickey Callaway said that he had passed concussion protocol so far.
Kevin Plawecki took over behind the plate.
Stroman, who
experienced shoulder problems in spring training, has come on strong
after being on the disabled list from May 9-June 22.
He
pitched five runless innings on his return June 23, allowing six hits
against the Los Angeles Angels. He came back Friday to hold the Detroit
Tigers to two runs (one earned) and four hits over seven innings to earn
his first win of the season.
“I’m just back to being
myself,” Stroman said. “That wasn’t me earlier in the year, so I’m just
happy to be back. Body feels good, I feel in sync. Everything’s coming
out very easily.”
Stroman has never faced the Mets. He will, however, be facing a former teammate in Bautista.
“It will be fun,” Bautista said.
They have faced each other in one game.
Stroman, pitching for the United States, faced Bautista, who was playing for the Dominican Republic Raiders Game Jerseys ,
in March, 2017, during the World Baseball Classic. Bautista fouled out
and struck out. It was the only time they have faced each other
competitively.
“I think I’ve given him too many secrets over the years, it will be interesting,” Bautista said.
Oswalt,
in his first career start Friday, allowed six runs and six hits in 2
2/3 innings in an 8-2 loss to the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park.
He was starting on short notice.
Callaway said he was having trouble with his breaking pitches.
“I
think that even in the first two innings he didn’t have any of his
breaking stuff,” Callaway said after the game. “So, I think they kind of
figured out he was struggling with getting that stuff over, so they
were just sitting on fastballs and they put a few in play.”
The
24-year-old made 10 starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, going 4-4 with a 5.32
ERA. In four stints with the Mets, he has made two appearances. He made
his major league debut April 26 in St. Louis against the Cardinals,
allowing two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
The Mets are 6-9 in Toronto all time.
Steve Wilks is the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, and chances are he won’t tread meekly into his new job.
”Steve’s personality is as an aggressive guy,” his ex-boss, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, said.
Wilks,
48, spent last season as defensive coordinator of the Panthers after
five seasons as the team’s secondary coach. He’s been an NFL assistant
for 12 years.
Wilks replaces the colorful and outspoken
Bruce Arians, who retired after five seasons and compiled a
franchise-record 50 victories.
With the hiring of Wilks,
all three major football programs in the state have African-American
coaches – Wilks, Herm Edwards at Arizona State and Kevin Sumlin at
Arizona. Wilks is the Cardinals’ second African-American coach (Dennis
Green was the first) and the only minority candidate to get an NFL head
coaching job this hiring cycle.
The Cardinals were 8-8 last season despite a myriad of significant injuries and closed out Arians’ career with a win in Seattle.
”This
is not really a rebuild, this is a retool,” Wilks told azcardinals.com.
”We have the culture of winning here. We just have to be able to
sustain it. It’s all about trying to get to the next level and the
consistency you need to get to the next level.”
Patrick Peterson, perennial Pro Bowl cornerback and a leader of the Arizona defense, tweeted simply ”I LOVE IT.”
Azcardinals.com released a brief video of Wilks talking to Arizona fans.
”I’d
like to introduce myself to the `Bird Gang,”’ he said. ”This is your
head coach Steve Wilks. I’m so excited about building something great
here. It’s all about trying to create a commitment to excellence and I
can’t wait to see you guys at the Red Sea.”
Wilks was in
Arizona for a second interview last week and was interviewed for the
Tennessee job, which went to Mike Vrabel. Wilks also coached for 11
years at the collegiate level Eagles Game Jerseys , including a one-year stint as head coach at Savannah State in 1999.
The Cardinals planned to introduce Wilks as coach at a news conference Tuesday at team headquarters.
Wilks
played defensive back at Appalachian State, attended the Seattle
Seahawks training camp and played for the Charlotte Rage of the Arena
Football League.
He worked his way up through the college
assistant coaching ranks with stops at Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte,
Savannah State, Illinois State, Appalachian State, East Tennessee State,
Bowling Green, Notre Dame and Washington.
Wilks’ first
NFL job was as defensive backs coach of the Chicago Bears. He held a
similar job with the San Diego Chargers for three seasons before joining
the Panthers staff.
Under Wilks this season, the Panthers ranked seventh in total defense.
Speaking about Wilks last week, his Charlotte players were supportive.
”I
think he gets guys to relate to him, get on the same page, get on the
same scheme,” defensive end Charles Johnson said. ”He comes to work
every day and guys respect that. Just his whole personality. His
mentality of getting guys to play how you want to play. He’s a good
coach for that.”
In an interview last fall, linebacker
Luke Kuechly said, ”Steve Wilks and all those guys are doing an
excellent job of game-planning and putting us in position to be
successful and utilizing what we do well. Those coaches listen (to the
players).
”They’re not hard-headed. They do a great job
with us. They motivate us. They do a good job of making sideline
corrections and in-game adjustments. It’s fun to play for them.”
The
Cardinals were the last team to fill a coaching vacancy, just as they
were in 2013 when they hired Arians, who won his second NFL coach of the
year award in his second season with the team.
Last week, Rivera talked about Wilks’ coaching potential.
”I
know that Steve is a hot commodity, deservedly so,” Rivera said. `He
has done a tremendous job wherever he’s been, starting in Chicago and
San Diego and down here with us. It’s going to be a tough one. Him and
Sean (McDermott) are two very good people who are very special to this
organization.”
Wilks replaced McDermott as Carolina defensive coordinator when McDermott was named head coach at Buffalo a year ago.
The
Cardinals have a head coach with a background in defense for the first
time since Dave McGinnis was hired 17 years ago. Wilks’ first task
probably is to hire an offensive coordinator, a move that’s particularly
important because the retirement of Carson Palmer left Arizona with no
quarterback.
And general manager Steve Keim is turning his
attention full-time to finding that elusive quarterback, through a
trade, free agency, the draft or any combination of the three.
—
AP Pro Football Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville and AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte contributed to this report.
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