Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario

San Francisco Giants 1 (45-35)

Toronto Blue Jays 6 (44-37)

Win: Bowden Francis (1-0)

Loss: Logan Webb (7-7)

Time: 2:11

Attendance: 36,685

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) and catcher Patrick Bailey (14) meet with pitching coach Andrew Bailey (84) at Rogers Centre in Toronto against the Blue Jays on Wed Jun 28, 2023 (USA Today photo)

By Stephen Ruderman

The Toronto Blue Jays (44-37) took the second game of the series with a 6-1 win over the San Francisco Giants (35-45) tonight in Toronto thanks to a five-run bottom of the first inning against Logan Webb, ending the Giants’ 10-game road winning streak, which was the single-longest in the Giants’ 66-year history in San Francisco.

Blue Jays’ reliever, Trevor Richards, took the ball in what was a bullpen game for Toronto, and the Giants threatened in the top of the first, as LaMonte Wade Jr. singled on a ground ball to left field to start the game, and got to second on a wild pitch by Richards. Joc Pederson walked with two outs, but Patrick Bailey struck out looking to end the inning, and the Giants were unable to come through.

Coming into tonight, Webb had only allowed four earned runs in a game once since April 17—June 7 at Coors Field—but his luck ran out immediately, as George Springer led off the bottom of the first with a double. The Blue Jays went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday, but that would not be an issue for them tonight.

Bo Bichette singled in Springer, followed by a double off the bat of Brandon Belt that knocked in Bichette. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded out to third, and Matt Chapman got Belt to third on a flyout to right, but back-to-back doubles by Matt Chapman and Daulton Varsho extended the Blue Jays’ lead to 4-0.

Whit Merrifield then knocked in Varsho with a bloop double to right field, as Merrifield was able to get into second due to the slow reaction by Giants’ right-fielder, Michael Conforto, who left the game with left hamstring tightness after the end of the inning. Conforto is listed day to day with a tight left hamstring.

“I don’t think it was about Logan; I think it was about [the Blue Jays’] hitters,” said Gabe Kapler. “They did a nice job of jumping on [Webb’s] pitches early in counts, and getting just enough barrel on it. Some of them were hit really hard, and some of them were just finding holes.”

Blue Jays’ reliever, Trevor Richards, took the ball in what was a bullpen game for Toronto, and threw three shutout innings, while striking out five, as he set down the final six men he faced.

Bowden Francis came in for the fourth, and the Giants hung in there, as they led off each of the four innings that Francis pitched with hits. Austin Slater led off the top of the fifth with a home run to right-center to put the Giants on the board, but the Giants were unable to do anything with their other leadoff hits.

Meanwhile, Logan Webb settled down after a nightmare bottom of the first, and ended up going five innings, as he allowed no runs on just two hits over his next four innings. Ross Strippling came in for Webb in the bottom of the sixth, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning; but he gave up a run in the seventh, as Cavan Biggo doubled with one out, and George Springer immediately singled him in to make it 6-1.

Toronto went to the left-hander, Trent Thorton, in the eighth, which was mostly uneventful, but LaMonte Wade hit a one-out single to left for his third hit of the night. The Blue Jays put two runners on against Strippling in the bottom of the eighth, but were unable to score.

Yimi Garcia then came in for the top of the ninth, and he pitched a 1-2-3 inning to close it out.

The Giants have yet to decide who will take the mound tomorrow for a 4:07 start, as they will try and bounce back to take the series. The Blue Jays will start right hander Chris Bassitt (7-5 ERA 4.32) at Rogers Centre.