The Toronto Blue Jays are officially done. Toast. Their postseason hopes got absolutely crushed on Wednesday afternoon in Baltimore, ending their run in game one of a doubleheader against the Orioles.
The “Old Guy” Showdown That Ended a Season
You want to talk about drama? Forget some youngsters battling it out, this game was all about the seasoned veterans. We’re talking Chris Bassitt for the O’s going head-to-head with Max Scherzer for the Jays, a matchup so ancient it set a record for the oldest pair of starting pitchers in an MLB game just 12 days ago. And what do they do today? They broke their own record, each of them 12 days older and still slinging. Seriously, as that band “They Might Be Giants” used to say, “You’re older than you’ve ever been, and now you’re even older…” These guys are legends.
Scherzer, apparently, was feeling the weight of history himself, eyeing up his former teammate Justin Verlander on the career strikeout list. He came into the day just 11 behind, and after a scorching first inning where he struck out three batters looking, he was down to only eight! You had to wonder if he was going to catch him in this very game. While he didn’t quite get there, he did rack up 7/11 of the way by the time he wrapped up five innings. Impressive stuff, even if it wasn’t enough to save the Blue Jays’ season.
Orioles Get It Done, Blue Jays Get Knocked Out
Despite Scherzer’s early K-fest, the Orioles found a way to get to him. They took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning in a sequence that felt kinda wild. It started with a single, then a walk, then another single, a Jeremiah Jackson knock that brought a run home and left men on first and third with nobody out! You’d think that’s a huge inning brewing, right? But then Leody Taveras and Carlos Narváez both popped out, completely unable to bring Colton Cowser home from third. Rough.
Cowser eventually scored, but it was thanks to Jackson trying to steal second and getting caught in a rundown. Cowser just booked it home during the chaos! No, it doesn’t count as a steal of home for him, but hey, a run’s a run, and it pushed the lead. Meanwhile, Bassitt was doing work on the mound. He had to battle, letting the Jays hit a double off him in each of the first four innings. But here’s the kicker: NONE of those guys scored. He totally dodged trouble, making that 2-0 lead stick. Pete Alonso then blasted a two-run homer in the fifth, cementing that 4-2 victory for the O’s.
So, the Orioles win 4-2, they live to fight another day in this doubleheader, avoiding their own elimination for at least a few more hours. But for the Blue Jays? Their season is officially over. That’s gotta sting for Toronto fans. Next up for the O’s is game two, where they’ll try to keep their own hopes alive, with everything on the line.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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