Read the Orioles side (the whole game, score included)
Baltimore at Toronto
This is Missed It. Baltimore at Toronto, Friday, September 11, 68 and clear at Rogers Centre, with the Orioles. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.
Pregame
It's a fresh one north of the border, Baltimore Orioles against the Toronto Blue Jays. We're just getting going here, and the bats are already feeling loose. Dylan Beavers is leading things off for us, and there's that early-season electricity in the air. The Blue Jays are at home, looking to play spoiler, but we've got our own plans. Let's see what tonight brings.
Top 1: Beavers Sets the Tone
We're underway, and it doesn't take long for the fireworks to start. Dylan Beavers steps in with nobody out and the bases empty, and he doesn't waste any time. He gets a pitch he likes and sends it deep to right field, and it's gone. A home run on the very first at-bat of the game. Just like that, we're up one to nothing. The dugout is buzzing, the kind of start you dream about on the road. One swing, and we've got ourselves an early lead. That's how you announce your presence.
Bot 1: Keeping Them Quiet
The Blue Jays come up looking to answer, and they bring five batters to the plate. But our guy on the mound is locked in. They get a couple of baserunners, maybe, but nothing crosses the plate. The defense is sharp behind him, and the inning ends with the score still one to nothing. It's exactly what we needed after that quick strike. We set the tone, and now we're keeping it. One inning down, and we're in control.
Top 2: The Floodgates Open
This is the inning that breaks it open. Samuel Basallo steps in with a runner on and nobody out, and he rips a sharp line drive to right field. Gunnar Henderson moves to second, and now we've got something cooking. Christian Encarnacion-Strand follows with a fly ball single to right, and the bases are loaded. Nobody out. The crowd is getting restless, and we're just getting started. Then Heston Kjerstad comes up, and he lines one to right. Gunnar Henderson scores, and the bases stay loaded. Two to nothing. And then Colton Cowser steps in and absolutely unloads. A double to left field, and it clears the bases. Samuel Basallo scores, Christian Encarnacion-Strand scores, Heston Kjerstad holds at third. Four to nothing. The inning just keeps rolling. Nine batters come to the plate, and we plate five runs. Five. The score is six to nothing, and this one feels like it's already slipping away from Toronto.
Bot 2 and 3: The Shutout Holds
The Blue Jays come up in the bottom of the second, and they go down in order. Three batters, no runs. The bottom of the third is a little more of a fight, six batters, but still nothing across. We're holding them scoreless through three, and the lead is six. The defense is making plays, the pitcher is dealing, and we're rolling. This is the kind of baseball that makes you believe.
Top 4: Quiet, But Comfortable
We come up in the top of the fourth and go down quietly. Four batters, no runs. But with a six-run lead, there's no panic. We're just trying to add on, and if it doesn't happen, fine. The lead is still comfortable, and the focus shifts to keeping Toronto off the board.
Bot 4: Okamoto Answers
The Blue Jays finally get on the board. Kazuma Okamoto steps in with nobody out and the bases empty, and he sends one deep to right center field. It's gone. A solo home run, and just like that, the lead is six to one. It's a reminder that this game isn't over. They've got some life now, and we need to make sure we don't let them build on it. One run is fine. We just need to keep them from stringing anything together.
Top 5 and 6: Holding the Line
We go down in order in the top of the fifth, three batters, no runs. The top of the sixth is a little more active, five batters, but still nothing across. We're not adding on, but we're also not giving anything back. The lead is still six to one, and our pitcher is still out there grinding. It's not the prettiest stretch, but it's effective. We're just trying to get deeper into this game and hand it off to the bullpen with the lead intact.
Bot 5 and 6: Toronto Creeps Closer
The Blue Jays go down in order in the bottom of the fifth. But the bottom of the sixth is where things get a little tense. They get a couple of runners on, and with one out, Andrés Giménez grounds one to second. Jackson Holliday fields it, fires to Pete Alonso at first, and the runner scores from third. Nathan Lukes crosses the plate, and Kazuma Okamoto moves to third. It's six to two now, and suddenly this feels like a game again. We've got to stop the bleeding here. The lead is still comfortable, but we can't let them keep chipping away.
Top 7: Mayo Answers Back
We need a response, and we get one. With two outs and nobody on, Coby Mayo steps in and launches one to left field. It's gone. A solo home run, and just like that, the lead is back to five. Seven to two. It's the kind of swing that takes the air right out of the building. We needed that. We needed to remind them that we're still here, still swinging. The Blue Jays go down in order in the bottom of the seventh, and we're heading into the final stretch with a comfortable cushion.
Top 8 and 8: The Calm Before
We go down quietly in the top of the eighth, four batters, no runs. The Blue Jays do the same in the bottom of the eighth, three batters, no runs. The score is still seven to two, and we're three outs away. The bullpen is doing its job, the defense is holding, and we're just trying to close this thing out.
Top 9: One More Push
We come up in the top of the ninth and go down in order. Three batters, no runs. But it doesn't matter. We've got a five-run lead, and we just need three more outs. The bats have done their job tonight. Now it's up to the defense and the pitcher to finish it.
Bot 9: A Scare, Then Relief
The Blue Jays aren't going quietly. They get a runner on, and with two outs, Brett Bateman steps in. He gets a pitch he likes and sends it deep to center field. It's gone. A two-run homer, and Ernie Clement scores. Just like that, it's seven to four. The lead is down to three, and suddenly the dugout is on edge. But we don't panic. We make the next play, we get the final out, and it's over. We win.
Wrap-up
Seven to four. We came into Toronto, and we took care of business. Dylan Beavers set the tone with that first-inning homer, and the second inning was a masterpiece. Five runs, nine batters, and a lead we never gave back. Coby Mayo added some insurance, and even when Toronto made it interesting in the ninth, we held on. It's a win on the road, and it feels good. We're heading home with a smile. That's all we can ask for.
Outro
That was Baltimore at Toronto, from the Orioles side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.
Read the Blue Jays side (the whole game, score included)
Baltimore at Toronto
This is Missed It. Baltimore at Toronto, Friday, September 11, 68 and clear at Rogers Centre, with the Blue Jays. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.
Pregame
It's Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays, and we are back home. The Orioles are in town, and we've got a full night of baseball ahead of us. The bats need to wake up, the crowd needs to be loud, and we need to remind Baltimore why coming into our house is never an easy trip. Let's get into it.
Innings 1-3
Top of the first, and Baltimore wastes no time. No outs, bases empty, and Dylan Beavers steps in. He gets a pitch he likes and sends it on a fly ball to right field, and that ball is gone. Just like that, a home run. One to nothing Orioles, and the air goes out of the building a little bit. We're down early, but it's one run. We've got nine innings to answer. Bottom of the first, we send five batters to the plate but can't push anything across. The score stays one to nothing. We need to get to their starter, and we need to do it soon. Top of the second, and this is where it gets ugly. No outs, a runner on, and Samuel Basallo lines a sharp single to right fielder Nathan Lukes. Gunnar Henderson moves to second. Then, still no outs, two on, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand singles on a fly ball to right. Henderson to third, Basallo to second. Bases loaded, nobody out, and we're in trouble. Heston Kjerstad steps in, and he lines a single to right. Gunnar Henderson scores, Basallo to third, Encarnacion-Strand to second. It's two to nothing now, and the bases are still loaded. Then Colton Cowser doubles on a line drive to left fielder Josh Smith. Basallo scores, Encarnacion-Strand scores, Kjerstad to third. Four to nothing. The inning is spiraling, and we can't get an out. Five runs cross in that inning. Nine batters come up, and by the time it's over, it's six to nothing. Bottom of the second, we go down in order. Three batters, no runs. Bottom of the third, six batters, still nothing. We're six down, and the bats are silent.
Innings 4-6
Top of the fourth, Baltimore sends four batters up and comes away empty. The score stays six to nothing, and we finally get a clean inning. Now it's our turn. Bottom of the fourth, no outs, bases empty, and Kazuma Okamoto steps in. He gets a pitch and drives it on a fly ball to right center field, and that ball is gone. A home run. Six to one. Finally, something to cheer about. The crowd finds its voice, and we've got a pulse. But we need more. We need a rally, not just a solo shot.
The Sequence
This is where the game gets decided. Top of the fifth, Baltimore sends three batters up, no runs. Bottom of the fifth, we send four up, no runs. We're still down six to one, and the innings are ticking away. Top of the sixth, five batters for Baltimore, still no runs. We keep them off the board, and now we need to chip away. Bottom of the sixth, one out, two on, and Andrés Giménez comes to the plate. He grounds out, second baseman Jackson Holliday to first baseman Pete Alonso. But Nathan Lukes scores on the play, and Kazuma Okamoto moves to third. Six to two. We're chipping. We're fighting. The crowd is starting to believe. Then, top of the seventh, two outs, bases empty, and Coby Mayo steps in. He homers on a fly ball to left field. Seven to two. That one stings. We had the momentum, we had the energy, and Baltimore takes it right back with one swing. Bottom of the seventh, three batters, no runs. Bottom of the eighth, three batters, no runs. We're running out of time, and the score is seven to two. Top of the ninth, Baltimore goes down in order. Three batters, no runs. Now it's our last chance. Bottom of the ninth, and we're not going quietly. Two outs, a runner on, and Brett Bateman steps in. He gets a pitch and sends it on a fly ball to center field. That ball is gone. A home run. Ernie Clement scores, and it's seven to four. The crowd erupts. We've got life. We've got one more chance. But that's where it ends. Seven to four, and the comeback falls short.
Wrap-up
Final score, Baltimore seven, Toronto four. We dug ourselves a six-run hole in the first two innings, and try as we might, we couldn't climb all the way out. Kazuma Okamoto gave us a spark, Brett Bateman gave us hope, but the hole was just too deep. We fought to the last out, and that's something. But tonight, Baltimore takes this one. We'll get them tomorrow.
Outro
That was Baltimore at Toronto, from the Blue Jays side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.