Blue Jays bid to get back on track in opener vs. Rockies
Toronto has lost six of its last eight contests to see its lead in the division dwindle to three games.
The Blue Jays can turn things around when they begin a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in Denver.
Left-hander Eric Lauer (6-2, 2.68 ERA) will start for the Blue Jays in the opener against Colorado right-hander Tanner Gordon (2-3, 4.85).
Gordon, who has yet to face Toronto in his career, will make his third start since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on July 23.
Lauer has become a vital part of the Blue Jays' rotation after beginning the season in the minors. He began his career with San Diego in 2018 and was part of Milwaukee's playoff run in 2021 -- he also excelled there in 2022 -- but he struggled after that.
Lauer dealt with arm and shoulder injuries and didn't pitch in the majors in 2024. He was recalled by the Blue Jays in late April after injuries thinned their pitching staff, and he has provided an impact.
Lauer has appeared in 17 games (11 starts) and has been a fixture in the rotation since June 11. He has allowed more than two runs on two occasions in his starts -- and no more than three runs -- and is 4-1 since becoming a full-time starter.
"I think I've really taken advantage of the spots that I've been put into," Lauer said recently. "That was my game plan the whole time. Show what I can do, hopefully edge my way into the rotation as a permanent spot."
He has faced the Rockies 12 times in his career but has struggled in those outings. He is 1-6 with a 7.58 ERA against them, and his record in Denver is worse -- 0-6 with a 12.73 ERA in seven starts.
Lauer will face the worst team in baseball but one that is feeling confident. Colorado, despite having just 30 wins, is 8-7 since the All-Star break and 6-3 at home in that stretch.
The Rockies are coming off a 9-5 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday but rallied to win the first two games of the series. Colorado has averaged seven runs over the last nine home games.
One of the offensive sparks has been outfielder Jordan Beck, who batted .455 with two home runs and six RBIs in the series win against the Pirates. He has raised his average from .264 to .279 over the last 15 games.
Beck has reached base in 16 of the last 19 games, and his .314 average in 23 games in July has coincided with Colorado's recent surge. The Rockies won't reach the postseason but are on pace to avoid setting the record for most losses (121) in the modern era.
"The All-Star break was a good reset for us," Beck said. "We came back in the second half, even after the trades and stuff happened, and felt like, 'All right, we got what we got. Let's do it.'"
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
33 minutes ago
- Reuters
Marlins prevent late Astros rally to avoid sweep
August 7 - Xavier Edwards connected on four hits, and Heriberto Hernandez homered and drove in two runs as the host Miami Marlins defeated the Houston Astros 6-4 on Wednesday. The Astros, who failed to secure what would've been a three-game sweep, were led by Christian Walker, who slugged a two-run homer. Miami played an exceptional game as the Marlins produced 14 hits, stole four bases, made no errors and had several fielding gems. Perhaps the biggest play came with the bases loaded in the eighth inning when reliever Calvin Faucher made a backhand stab of a slow roller and threw out Walker on a close call at the plate. Janson Junk (6-2) earned the win, going five innings and allowing five hits, two walks and three runs. Lake Bachar pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second career save. Spencer Arrighetti (1-2) took the loss, allowing 11 hits, one walk and five runs in 3 2/3 innings. It was his first appearance since April 5. Houston took a 2-0 lead in the first as former Marlin Jesus Sanchez doubled and scored on Walker's 417-foot bomb to left-center. That shot had a 113-mph exit velocity. Miami grabbed a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first, putting together a rally that included six singles. Liam Hicks, Otto Lopez and Hernandez got the RBIs. The Marlins extended their lead to 4-2 in the second as Edwards doubled, advanced on Kyle Stowers' single and scored on Agustin Ramirez's sacrifice fly. Miami made it 5-2 in the third on Hernandez's homer, which went 391 feet and got just over the glove of Sanchez in left field. Houston cut its deficit to 5-3 in the fifth as Mauricio Dubon and Carlos Correa smashed two-out doubles. Sanchez nearly got Houston another run but his 106-mph grounder was fielded on a slick play by Edwards at second. Graham Pauley led off the bottom of the fifth with a homer, extending Miami's lead to 6-3. Houston kept coming in the sixth as Walker singled and scored on Victor Caratini's double. That made it 6-4. But then came Houston's base-loaded rally in the eighth. After Faucher threw Walker out at the plate, Houston nearly tied the score on Dubon's blooper into short right field. However, Edwards chased it down for another stellar Marlins play. --Field Level Media
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Cardinals edge Dodgers despite Ohtani's 1,000th career hit
August 6 - Jordan Walker had a game-tying single in the eighth inning and Masyn Winn scored the go-ahead run on an error as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon. Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar brought home runs without getting the ball out of the infield as the Cardinals went 4-2 against the Dodgers this season while winning a pair of series. Four St. Louis relievers held Los Angeles without a run over the final five innings, while right-hander Riley O'Brien pitched 1 1/3 innings for his first career save. JoJo Romero (4-3) did not allow a run over one inning. Shohei Ohtani hit a home run for his 1,000th career hit and struck out eight over a four-inning start as the Dodgers dropped to 3-6 at home since the All-Star break. Freddie Freeman had three hits for Los Angeles, while Alex Call had two in his first home start since his trade from the Washington Nationals. Ohtani gave up one run on two hits with no walks on a day when all fans in attendance received a full-size replica of his World Series championship ring. The Cardinals pulled ahead for good in the eighth. With two runners aboard and two outs, Walker singled to center against Alex Vesia (2-1) to tie the game 3. The throw back to the infield went to third and then to second as Walker tried to advance. Winn scored on a throwing error by Dodgers rookie third baseman Alex Freeland. The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a two-out RBI bunt single from Brendan Donovan. The Dodgers moved in front 2-1 in their half of the third on a two-run home run from Ohtani, his 39th. The Dodgers opened a 3-1 lead when Andy Pages singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and came around to score on a throwing error by Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages. St. Louis got the run back in the sixth on a Lars Nootbaar ground out. After taking the lead in the eighth inning following the single from Walker against Vesia, the Cardinals added one more run in the ninth on a Nootbaar RBI double. --Field Level Media
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Junior Caminero homers twice to lift Rays over Angels
August 6 - Christopher Morel hit a go-ahead home run to lead off the seventh inning and Junior Caminero homered twice as the visiting Tampa Bay Rays spoiled another record-setting day by Mike Trout with a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon. Nick Fortes also homered, Jonny DeLuca tripled and Brandon Lowe had two hits for Tampa Bay, which claimed its second series win since the All-Star break. Garrett Cleavinger (1-4) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief and Pete Fairbanks pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 19th save. Trout hit a three-run homer, the 398th of his career, moving him into a tie with Dale Murphy for 61st place on the all-time home run list. It was Trout's 200th career homer at Anaheim Stadium, putting him in the record books as the first player in major league history to compile 100 stolen bases and 200 home runs in the same stadium. He and Luis Rengifo both went 2-for-4 with a run scored for Los Angeles. Ryan Zeferjahn (6-4) suffered the loss for the Angels, who finished a 13-game homestand with just a 6-7 record. Starter Tyler Anderson left after allowing four runs, including three home runs, on five hits in four innings to extend his team record to 19 straight starts without a victory. Tampa Bay took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run homer by Caminero, a 447-foot drive to left-center, driving in Chandler Simpson, who had singled. Fortes made it 3-0 in the second inning with his third home run. Caminero then extended the lead to 4-0 in the third with his 30th home run of the season and second of the game, a 404-foot drive to center. Los Angeles tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the third on Trout's 20th homer, a 433-foot three-run drive into the bullpen in left. It followed an RBI single by Nolan Schanuel. Morel, who had struck out in his six previous at-bats in the series, put the Rays back ahead, 5-4, in the seventh when he hit Zeferjahn's first pitch into the seats down the left field line for his eighth home run. The Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth against reliever Griffin Jax on an infield single by Trout, a walk by Taylor Ward and catcher interference to put Jo Adell on base. But Jax rebounded with consecutive strikeouts of Logan O'Hoppe, Rengifo and Christian Moore to end the threat. --Field Level Media
