Back-to-back extras creates need for reinforcements

By: Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

With Toronto and Houston going the distance in their series opener on Monday, the Blue Jays were in need of reinforcements ahead of Tuesday’s tilt in the Lone Star State. 

Following a masterful performance that saw Marcus Stroman yield only a single run while establishing a career high in strikeouts (13) over seven innings pitched, the Blue Jays bullpen accounted for an additional six frames of work in the teams 14-inning loss to Houston during the first of a four-game set at Minute Maid Park.

Monday’s marathon comes on the heels of Sunday’s 12-inning loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre; a game that saw Toronto use six relievers including a pair of arms that, following the MLB trade deadline, are no longer in the organization.

In order to supplement a taxed relief corps, Toronto brought up a pair of righties in Danny Barnes and Mike Bolsinger who are both set to make their Blue Jays debut this week in Houston.

Barnes, 26, has spent the 2016 season split between double-A New Hampshire and triple-A Buffalo where he’s combined to go 3-1 with an overall ERA of 0.84 across 53 1/3 innings pitched.

Drafted by Toronto in the 35th round of 2010’s draft, the Princeton graduate is tapped to make his big league debut after allowing only five hits and one walk over 17 and two thirds innings with the Bisons since being called up to triple-A in late June.

Bolsinger, 28, has appeared in 37 MLB games since breaking in with the Dodgers in 2014. Earlier this season, the former 15th round draft pick was optioned to the minors where he made the transition from starter to reliever.

In 21 innings of work out of the bullpen with triple-A Oklahoma, the former six-game winner has pitched to an overall ERA of 3.86 while striking out 27 and walking only nine batters.

In order to clear room on the team’s 25-man roster, Toronto dispatched utility infielder Ryan Goins, along with right-handed hurler Bo Schultz back to the Bisons on Tuesday afternoon.  They will join the team in Syracuse.

YER OUT

In addition to limiting the Blue Jays offense to one run over 14 innings on Monday, Houston pitchers combined to post 22 strikeouts on the night.

Prior to Monday night’s heartbreaking affair in Houston, Toronto had never struck out more than 19 times in a single contest in franchise history.

On June 8th, 1977, future hall of fame fire baller Nolan Ryan fanned 19 Blue Jays in an extra-inning tilt at Anaheim Stadium.  Despite posting a batting average that had hovered around the .300 mark for most of the season, Otto Velez struck out four times while fellow stand out Al Woods K’d three times in four plate appearances.

Under the roof at SkyDome on April 19th, 2001, Roger Clemens and a Yankees pen that featured Randy Choate, Mike Stanton and Mariano Rivera teamed up to strikeout another 19 Blue Jays. That game also went deep as the Toronto fell to New York 6-5 in 17 innings.

O.J.

With the loss on Monday night, Toronto fell to 37 games below .500 in regular season games played at a stadium that’s named after orange juice.

Collectively, the team has gone 67 and 93 in an even 160 games played at Tropicana Field, and only 2-13 in 15 contests at Minute Maid Park.

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