The day after the pitching staff gave up just two runs in 10 innings in the season opener, Matt Shoemaker and Javy Guerra pitched their way to a shutout of the Detroit Tigers as the Toronto Blue Jays gave manager Charlie Montoyo his first major league win as a manager, beating the Tigers 6-0.
Shoemaker went seven innings, giving up just two hits and two walks, striking out seven and looking sharp overall, getting seven groundouts and no flyouts. Javy Guerra, who warmed up in the eighth inning of yesterday’s game, got into the game, throwing two perfect innings, striking out a pair of Tigers to finish it off (with a six-run lead, there was no save available to be had).
The Blue Jays were stymied by former Jay Matt Boyd early in the game, but they managed to get to the lefty for four runs in the fourth inning, after Randal Grichuk walked to lead off the inning and Justin Smoak singled him to second. Teoscar Hernandez drove Grichuk in with a single to centre. While Boyd got Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Kevin Pillar, Billy McKinney kept the inning alive with an infield single, loading the bases for Freddy Galvis who cleared them with a single followed by an error by Mikie Mahtook, allowing all three runners to score to give the Jays a 4-0 lead.
In the seventh, Galvis led off the inning with an injury scare, hurting his wrist on a swing but he recovered enough to get a single that was followed by a walk by Luke Maile. Again after two outs (including a Grichuk groundout that moved the runners to second and third), Justin Smoak drove them both in with a single to left field, putting the Jays up 6-0.
Smoak was 2/4 with two RBI and a run while Galvis was 2/3 with two RBI and a run. Brandon Drury was 1/4 but struck out three times and Teoscar Hernandez was 1/4 with an RBI and a run.
For rookie manager Charlie Montoyo, it was his first major league win as a manager and the players dragged him into the shower and showered him in beer to celebrate, according to Hazel Mae after the game. Montoyo was quoted as saying, “Now I can retire. I have a win in every level.”
Game 3 of the opening series goes on Saturday at 3:07pm with Aaron Sanchez making his season debut against righty Spencer Turnbull.
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