Blue Jays edged by San Diego Padres, enter all-star break on losing note

Shoddy defence to blame as visitors can't hang onto late lead in SoCal series finale

Article content The first half ended on a fitting note for the Blue Jays. A loss in a game they had in their grasp. The 5-4 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday sends the Jays into the all-star break having lost some of the momentum this team seemed to be accumulating over the final two series heading into the break.

The Jays had a 4-3 lead midway through the eighth thanks to a timely Jonatan Clase single that scored Daulton Varsho from second. Coming with set-up man Adrian Morejon on the mound, the lead was all the more impressive given Morejon’s dominance ahead of lights-out closer Mason Miller. That good feeling didn’t last long as the Padres got to reliever Jeff Hoffman for the tying and go-ahead run in the bottom of the inning before Miller did his usual and closed it out for the win in the ninth.

That game-altering bottom of the eighth did have a familiar smell to it. While there were no errors in the inning, some miscommunication between shortstop Andres Gimenez and all-star game-bound second baseman Ernie Clement with a Padre on first and the tying run already scored played a big part in it. A ground ball to Gimenez just in front and off to the third-base side of second was hit softly.

Gimenez turned to throw back to second and get the lead runner, but Clement was not over there quickly enough, forcing Gimenez to take the force at first. Whether Clement could have got to second quickly enough to get the out is debatable but that was the play the Jays needed in that situation and it wasn’t the one they got. The Padres wound up bringing in a pinch runner in speedy Jase Bowen and he promptly stole third and then scored on a Ty France sacrifice fly with the eventual game-winning run.

The Blue Jays’ first half has been equal parts lack of offence and equal parts poor defence, but it was the latter that turned the tables on them on the final Sunday before the break. The Jays finish the unofficial first half of the season six games under .500 at 45-51. Somehow, they are still just 2.5 games out of the final wild-card spot, so as tough as this first half has been to watch at times, there is still very much a post-season chance there for them.

GAUSMAN DESERVED BETTER Jays’ starter Kevin Gausman cruised through the first inning, retiring the Padres in order on just 10 pitches, but it was a different story in the second. The top-of-the-rotation veteran loaded the bases in short order on a pair of singles and a walk. Jake Cronenworth brought in the first run of the inning with a single to left.

Gausman then forced in the second run with a bases-loaded walk to Sung-Mun Song. Gausman might have ended the damage there, but a balk was called against him, forcing in the third run of the inning. Gausman righted things after that and got the Jays into the sixth tied at 3-3, but for the sixth start in a row, the Jays failed to win with Gausman on the mound.