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Manoah Strikes Out 6 in Blue Jays Win

Former West Virginia University ace Alek Manoah tallied six strikeouts in the Blue Jays win over the Angels

Christopher Hall

Manoah Strikes Out 6 in Blue Jays Win
Manoah Strikes Out 6 in Blue Jays Win /

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah registered six strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work Saturday afternoon. The former West Virginia University ace allowed one run on four hits, three walks and two hit batsmen in the appearance. 

Manoah began his afternoon striking out three in the first although he beaned Shohei Ohtani after his first two Ks. 

Manoah found himself in a jam in the second when Mike Moustakas hit a leadoff infield single, then Hunter Renfroe delivered a one-out single back up the middle, before Michael Stefanic worked a seven-pitch walk to load the bases. However, the Blue Jays hurler kept the game scoreless on a deep fly ball to centerfield for the third out of the top half of the inning. 

Ohtani ripped a leadoff double in the third, but Manoah followed with his fourth strikeout of the game to begin a string of three consecutive outs to keep the Angels off the board. 

Manoah faced the minimum in the fourth, tallying strikeouts five and six during the frame. 

In the fifth and with one out, Manoah gave up a sharp line drive down the right field line to Luis Rengifo for a double. Next, an intentional walk for Ohtani put runners at first and second and, after a favorable 1-2 count on Mickey Moniak, Monoah began losing control and walked the bases loaded. Then, on the 0-2 pitch, Monoah hit Taylor Ward in the face with a sinker that clearly got away from the big righty for the games first run.  

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider pulled Manoah from the game and Genesis Cabrerra took the mound and got out of the inning unscathed. 

Santiago Espinal blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to put the Blue Jays up 2-1.

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

In the seventh, Alejandro Kirk smacked a leadoff home run and Whit Merrifield produced a two-RBI single for a 4-1 cushion. 

Kirk broke the game open in the eighth with a two-run home run as the Blue Jays took game two and the series with a 6-1 decision. 

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Christopher Hall
CHRISTOPHER HALL

Member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

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