Heading into the first weekend of the MLB season, the Blue Jays and Orioles have split the first two games, holding a 1-1 record each coming into their third matchup in as many days. Toronto was able to shake off the opening day rust by having an offensive explosion of their own, taking the second game of the series with an 8-2 win.

Coming into the third game of the series, Toronto will send their newest (and yet oldest) pitching acquisition from free agency Max Scherzer to the mound to make his official Bue Jays regular season debut. The 40 year old Scherzer still brings immense value to the Jays pitching staff, providing tons of veteran leadership and experience to the younger up and comers, as well as remaining one of the top arms in the entire MLB even in his 18th season. On the other side of the bump, Baltimore will throw right-hander Dean Kremer on the hill to try and silence the crowd and take the upper hand in the series.

Mad Max started off his first career game as a Blue Jay in quite possibly the worst way you could thik of, giving up a leadoff home run on just the second pitch to Colton Cowser and the Orioles jumped out quickly to a 1-0 lead. The struggles continued as Scherzer gave up yet another solo shot to Jordan Westburg, and Baltimore extended the lead to 2-0 in a show of very early dominance in game three.

Toronto would get themselves right back into it in the bottom half of the first, with three straight hits to open the inning, leading to an RBI single for Anthony Santander. A few batters later with one out and two runners in scoring position, Alejandro Kirk sent a fly ball into right-center field that was deep enough to score Vladamir Guererro Jr. from third to pick the sacrifice fly and an RBI, tying the game at 2-2 to end the inning.

Scherzer would be able to settle himself down after the first, setting down six straight batters through the second and third innings, but his day would be cut short after an apparent injury would end his outing after just the third. Scherzer had been dealing his a thumb injury in spring training, but later in the game it was announced that Scherzer would be taken out after experiencing right lat soreness. Scherzer would only last 45 pitches into his outing before succumbing to the injury.  the offence would come back to life in the bottom of the third for some insurance, a Andres Gimenez would blast his second home run of the season in the form of a two-run blast with two outs to double the Jay’s score and pull out to a 4-2 advantage.

Scherzer would be replaced in the top of the fourth by Richard Lovelady, and he would be tasked with carrying the lead and continue Scherzer’s work of keeping the Oriole’s bats quiet. However, after being met from the bullpen with a lead-off double, Lovelady struggled the entire inning, hitting two batters in a row and loading the bases with only one out. It appeared he would get out o fthe inning only surrendering one run via a sacrifice fly, but with two outs, Ramon Urias would send a line drive over the head of Anthony Santander in right field, which would result in a bases clearing double that would put the Orioles back in front leading 6-4.

Jacob Barnes would come in to pitch for the Blue Jays in the fifth inning, and once again the Orioles would stamp more offence on, putting up two runs, both on sacrifice flys to extend the lead to 8-4. In the bottom half, the Jay’s bats would try to cut into the deficit after the first two batters of the inning would reach base, and Guerrero Jr. would put one home after grounding out to the shortstop and allowing the runner from third to score.

The top of the seventh inning would roll around and the Oriole’s bats would still be firing on all cylinders, as Jordan Westburg hit his second solo homerun of the contest, and add onto the O’s lead making it 9-5 going into the seventh inning stretch.

Both team’s offences were shut out for the rest of the game and the Orioles’ Felix Bautista would put it away finishing the game with a 9-5 win. Scherzer’s early departure was definitely a large detriment to the team in this one and a big factor resulting in the loss. The Jay’s bullpen has been, and still is quite an unpredictable and shaky unit, and the team often relies on their starters needing to take themselves deep into ballgames in order to find consistent success. The severity of Shcerzer’s injury is unknown and his timeline for return is up in the air. In his absence, it can be assumed that Yariel Rodriguez would make the jump from the bullpen and into the starting rotation for the time being. Toronto has now dropped two of the first three games of the series and can only hope to split the series as a whole by winning tomorrow on Sunday in the finale of this opening four game set between these two teams.

Winner: Baltimore Orioles (2-1)

Loser: Toronto Blue Jays (1-2)

PLAYERS OF THE GAME:

J. Westburg: 4/5, 2HR, 2RBI

R. Urias: 3/5, 3RBI

B. Bichette: 4/4 2R

PITCHERS:

Win – D. Kremer (Orioles): 5.1IP, 5H, 5ER, 6K (1-0)

Loss – R. Lovelady (Blue Jays): 1.0IP, 2H, 4ER, 2K (0-1)