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
Anthony Miller Color Rush Jersey , 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
Cheap Josh Allen Jersey , 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
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“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
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The Mets are 6-9 in Toronto all time.
Pittsburgh has had great success against the Washington Capitals in the playoffs, but the Penguins will be challenged by the absence of a couple key players when the teams open a second-round series Thursday at Capital One Arena.
Center Evgeni Malkin, who led Pittsburgh in scoring in the regular season, and Carl Hagelin, a prime penalty-killer, have been ruled out for Game 1 because of unspecified injuries sustained late in the Penguins’ first-round win against Philadelphia, coach Mike Sullivan said Wednesday.
“Guys have to step up in different roles maybe,” Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said Wednesday. “I don’t think anybody has to put too much pressure on themselves. I think collectively we can find ways (to bridge the gap). Those guys aren’t easy to replace, but that’s what we’re faced with.”
Washington has one known injury. Forward Andre Burakovsky is out at least for the start of the Penguins series because of an undisclosed injury he got in the first round against Columbus.
The Capitals also have history working against them. They are 1-9 all-time in playoff series against Pittsburgh, including losses the past two seasons and in 2009. In each of those three years, the Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The Capitals don’t find that discouraging.
“There’s not a person in our locker room or on our coaching staff that doesn’t want to play the Penguins,” Washington coach Barry Trotz said. “It’s probably fitting. We’re actually quite excited about it. They’re two good teams. They always have been
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Washington sniper and captain Alex Ovechkin has repeatedly declared, “I can’t wait,” since just moments after the Columbus series, and he expanded on that Wednesday.
“It’s just fun. That’s why we worked so hard all year, to be in this position,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a big challenge for us, especially against Pittsburgh. It’s always a rivalry, always lots of attention to the series, and it’s fun.”
Ovechkin, 32, who has never won the Cup or even reached the Eastern Conference final, figures the law of averages will catch up with the Capitals eventually and they will beat the Penguins.
“One day it has to happen,” he said. “If we want to get success
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The Metropolitan Division clubs split their four games during the regular season. Washington won the division, with Pittsburgh finishing second, five points back.
“I don’t think they’re going to change the way they play. They’ve done it all year long,” Penguins winger Phil Kessel said. “I don’t think at this time of the year you change much what you do.”
While the Penguins are set with goaltender Matt Murray, who has won two Cups and had two shutouts in the first round, Washington will start off with Braden Holtby, a former Vezina Trophy winner who struggled at times during the season and lost the No. 1 job at the start of the playoffs before regaining it during Game 3 of the Columbus series.
“He’s been professional,” Trotz said of Holtby. “When we made the decision to start (Philipp Grubauer), (Holtby) was all in. He just said, ‘If I get a chance to get in, I’m going to stop the puck for you.’ … When he got in, he backed his words up.”
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