NewsBlue Jays' loss hits Gaston hard
Toronto's seventh walk-off setback in past 15 road games
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
07/29/09 3:05 AM ET
SEATTLE -- Cito Gaston needed a moment to unwind. On Tuesday night at Safeco Field, the Blue Jays manager kept the doors to the visitors' clubhouse closed longer than usual after watching his club absorb another disappointing defeat.When Gaston finally allowed reporters to pour into his office to dissect the 4-3 loss to the Mariners, he was seated behind a desk, already changed out of his uniform and ready to make a quick exit. Gaston is the first to admit he doesn't take losing well -- no matter the team's expectations -- and Toronto has been on the wrong end of many frustrating decisions of late.
"I had to come in and cool off a little bit tonight," Gaston said. "I was upset that we lost."
It's how Toronto lost its latest contest that got to Gaston.
While the Blue Jays made their way off the field in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mariners bolted onto the diamond to celebrate a walk-off single by Ichiro Suzuki. It marked the seventh walk-off loss in the past 15 road games for Toronto. Over their past 14 losses -- at home or away -- the Jays have dropped eight games by one run and five by two runs, including four defeats in extra innings.
Adding to the club's frustration was the fact that Ichiro's game-winner came on a sharp pitch from Scott Downs. The end result was another rough performance for Toronto's closer, but Gaston was quick to point out that the slider Ichiro sent looping into shallow center field was an unhittable pitch for most.
"The guy hit a good pitch," Gaston said. "You throw that pitch to just about anybody else in this league and they'll strike out on it. They won't hit it."
In the ninth inning, with the game in a 3-3 deadlock, Gaston sent Downs to the hill for the Blue Jays (49-52). The left-hander allowed a leadoff single to Jack Hannahan before issuing a walk to Rob Johnson. Chris Woodward followed with a bunt to the right side of the mound, where Downs bobbled the grounder, loading the bases with no outs.
Two outs later, Downs used two sliders to work Suzuki into an 0-2 count and then sent the same pitch down through the strike zone. Ichiro bent and swung low, flicking the pitch to center, where it dropped between shortstop Marco Scutaro and center fielder Vernon Wells to plate the game's decisive run.
"Did you see the pitch?" Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu marveled. "It was about an inch off the ground. It was outstanding."
For Ichiro, it marked the first game-ending hit among the 1,953 he's piled up throughout his career. On Tuesday, the Seattle right fielder chipped in three hits, including an infield single off Jays rookie Marc Rzepczynski in the first inning that paved the way for a run. Ichiro lifted his batting average to .366 this season.
"You're trying to get a guy out there that averages 200 hits a year," Gaston said, "and is probably a Hall of Famer, as far as I'm concerned. Downs made two good pitches on him, and he hit a little flare over the shortstop's head. There's not much you can do about that."
While it was a good pitch from Downs, the outcome added to the pitcher's recent woes. Over his last five appearances, Downs has allowed six earned runs on nine hits with five walks over 4 2/3 innings. Gaston said Downs' recent stretch of rough outings won't cost him the job as the club's closer.
Ichiro's late-inning heroics effectively erased a comeback attempt by the Blue Jays.
Behind seven strong innings from lefty Jarrod Washburn, the Mariners (52-48) carried a 3-1 lead into the eighth. Toronto's lineup then jumped on reliever Mark Lowe. Scutaro, Aaron Hill and Alex Rios each doubled in the eighth, extending the Jays' streak to 31 games with at least one two-base hit and knotting the score at 3.
That allowed Rzepczynski to walk away with a no-decision after allowing three runs on five hits with a career-high eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Like Downs, Rzepczynski has issues against Ichiro. Beyond allowing Ichiro's single in the first, the young left-hander issued a leadoff walk to the outfielder that opened the door for a two-run sixth inning for the Mariners.
"Sometimes he just slaps at the ball and beats it on the ground or bloops it over," Rzepczynski said. "That's what makes him a good hitter. That's why he's going to hit .350 to .380 every year. Plus, the speed helps. He's a battler. You've got to make really good pitches, and he hits really good pitches."
Ichiro proved that once again in the ninth.
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
