The Toronto Blue Jays bullpen did all it could.
The Jays’ relatively anonymous low-leverage relievers put up zero after zero in inning after inning throughout the night in Game 3 of the World Series. Yet, their offense couldn’t figure out how to scratch across a run for the final 11 innings of their 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers took a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-7 series thanks to Freddie Freeman’s game-winning homer off Brendon Little in the bottom of the 18th.
Game 4 will be Tuesday at 8:08 p.m. ET.
The Blue Jays Blew Game 3 On The Basepaths
The Jays have gotten to this point by being aggressive on the basepaths and putting pressure on opposing defenses.
But on Monday it backfired.
Sure, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s sprint around the bases, on Bo Bichette’s funky RBI single, put Toronto on top in the seventh inning.
But thereafter, Toronto had runners cut down at third and at home — the latter of which came on third-base coach Carlos Febles’ aggressive send of backup catcher Davis Schneider where he could not beat second baseman Tommy Edman’s relay throw in the top of the 10th inning.
Kiner-Falefa was also cut down by Edman at third base, again on a throw by Edman, on an infield single in the top of the ninth inning.
John Schneider’s Substituting Left The Blue Jays Without Punch
Jays fans can lament the loss of hero George Springer, who pretty clearly left Game 3 with an oblique injury that could change the entire complexion of the World Series — even though Schneider left the door open for him to play Game 4.
“We’ll see how it comes back and see how he walks up tomorrow,” Schneider said. “But it sucks. He’s obviously a huge part of our lineup.”
Plus, in a game that long, of course, every player is going to have some role — particularly with the Blue Jays as banged up as they are, notably Bichette, who is far from 100 percent.
But the Jays managed just nine baserunners over the nine extra innings, with Guerrero accounting for two — a single and a walk.
Schneider pinch ran Bichette out of the game for Kiner-Falefa, a light-hitting middle infielder who manned the No. 4 hole and was cut down on the bases. But he also pulled Game 1 hero Addison Barger for Myles Straw, another light-hitting reserve, in the eighth inning.
In all, Schneider subbed out four starters, including Springer, and the Jays’ reserves went 2 for 17 at the plate in Game 3, including Straw’s woeful failed sacrifice bunt attempt in the top of the 12th inning.
Compare that to Dave Roberts, who mostly kept his lineup in tact, and still had Freeman available to win the game in the 18th.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Needs To Bat In The No. 2 Hole
You can credit the Dodgers relievers, since Toronto went 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position and force the Jays to leave 18 men on base.
But Guerrero was left in the on-deck circle watching a Nathan Lukes at-bat end an inning four times in Game 3. Granted, one was unlucky — Lukes’ lone hit in eight plate appearances, the 10th-inning double, resulted in Davis Schneider getting cut down at home.
Guerrero has bat in the three hole all postseason, since Schneider has tried to split up Springer and Guerrero with a left-handed bat. But that decision is killing the Blue Jays in the World Series, with No. 2 hitters going 2 for 15 — with Lukes himself leaving four on base with two outs.
It’s not that Lukes is a bad hitter, but the Dodgers are game planning to keep Guerrero from beating them. If Guerrero were batting in the 2-hole Monday, Toronto could have had him at the plate with the bases loaded in the 12th — not Lukes, who chased Clayton Kershaw’s 3-2 slider and rolled over on the groundout to second to end the inning.
With Springer potentially out for Game 4, and Bichette neutralized with the injury, it’s integral to get Guerrero as many plate appearances as possible. Schneider is doing Toronto a disservice if he keeps batting his star first baseman third.
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