Base-running gaffe costly as Blue Jays' win streak snapped at 10 by Chisox
It has been said that all good things must come to an end.
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No one expected the Blue Jays to continue their scorching hot streak forever, one that saw the team win 10 games in a row to move one victory away from matching the franchise record.
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Hits in big moments by virtually every player in the lineup, different ways manufactured to produce wins, strong pitching and smart base-running, they all combined to vault the Jays into first place in the AL East.
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That all vanished on Wednesday in Chicago and with it went the win streak as the host White Sox handed the Jays a 2-1 loss.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s $500-million extension doesn't kick in until next season, but it doesn't make the Jays slugger immune from criticism.
Guerrero entered the series finale on Wednesday one hit away from joining the Jays' 1,000-hit club, a nine-player list led by Tony Fernandez. He's still one hit away after going 0-for-4, grounding out each time. On three occasions, he had a runner in scoring position.
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But batting futility aside — it happens to the best of them — it was a couple of base-running blunders that cost the Jays one run, for sure, and perhaps more.
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In the third inning, Guerrero reached on a fielder's choice. When Chicago starter Adrian Houser misfired on a pickoff attempt, Vladdy scampered to second, only to get easily tagged out trying — foolishly, it must be stated — trying to get to third base on the same sequence, for the final out of the inning.
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Then in the sixth, trailing 2-1 with one out, Nathan Lukes at third and Guerrero at first, Addison Barger hit a sharp grounder to the bag at first. With Vladdy off and running, Chisox first baseman Tim Elko scooped the hot shot, stepped on first and threw to second complete the inning-ending double play.
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A visibly frustrated Guerrero knew that, with the force play nullified when Elko stepped on first, he should have forced a rundown, which would have allowed Lukes to score from third base and tie the game.
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2. Lauer labors
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From bulk reliever to serving in the piggy-back role in the rotation, Eric Lauer has emerged as a feel-good story, one of the team's many surprise developments.
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Wednesday's start was his sixth and it followed his longest outing of the season when the left-hander went 6.0 innings last Friday.
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On Wednesday, he lasted four innings and 68 pitches, allowing the two runs — both in his final inning — while striking out seven.
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