TORONTO — When the Toronto Blue Jays loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning Sunday, it seemed as though Mike Pelfrey might be in for a rough day.
The strike zone eluded the Minnesota Twins right-hander, and the Blue Jays seemed poised to capitalize with an offensive outburst.
Instead, Pelfrey found the strike zone and the Blue Jays’ bats were never heard from again in a 6-0 loss to the Twins Saturday afternoon in front of 37,034 fans at Rogers Centre.
“We couldn’t get anything going,” manager John Gibbons said. “That’s the bottom line.”
After Pelfrey’s shaky first inning, he retired the Blue Jays in order five consecutive times with some assistance from the Blue Jays’ baserunners. Toronto managed just three singles off of Pelfrey, who entered the game with a 6.11 ERA.
Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey lasted seven innings, but allowed six earned runs, including a three-run home run to Brian Dozier. Dickey, who played with Pelfrey for three seasons with the New York Mets, said he felt fine.
“I felt great,” Dickey said. “My velocities were there. I gave up another three-run home run, which has kind of been my bane this year — the home run ball. That’s not ordinary for me.
“If that slows down I anticipate it being a lot better. But a three-run home run is tough to overcome when you’ve already given up three.”
That said, Dickey believes he can pitch more effectively in high-leverage situations.
“I’ve got to do a better job of making good pitches with runners in scoring position in particular,” Dickey said.
Dozier hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to put the game away for the Twins.
“It was one of those games where we were in striking distance until the home run late,” Gibbons said.
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THE BATS: The Blue Jays collected just four hits Saturday, when they were held scoreless for the sixth time this season. The missed opportunities ended up costing Toronto.
“You always want to capitalize when the other pitcher’s struggling, no doubt,” Dickey said. “But that’s the beauty of baseball is that you’re always pretty much just one good pitch away from getting out of an inning and that happened with Pelf over there today.”
Blue Jays third baseman Maicer Izturis was the team’s lone standout player on offence, collecting three of the team’s four hits.
Rajai Davis ended an 0-17 drought with a single in the fourth inning. However, he was caught stealing on the next play.
That wasn’t the only time the Blue Jays helped Pelfrey with poor baserunning. Jose Reyes was picked off first base in the first inning, and Izturis was doubled off of first base in the second.
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THE ARMS: Dickey entered the game having completed consecutive dominant starts against the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers. The 38-year-old knuckleballer was less effective Saturday, though he lasted seven innings.
Dickey allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out three as his season ERA climbed to 4.77. Even so, he expects better things going forward.
“I’ll try to just try to go back out there and build off of feeling good and good velocity and see what happens,” he said.
Gibbons liked what he saw from Dickey, who re-gained control after allowing three runs in the third inning.
“He was in control,” Gibbons said. “He got in a little bit of trouble there at the end and of course allowed the home run ball.”
Left-handers Darren Oliver and Juan Perez pitched one inning apiece in relief of Dickey. Neither reliever allowed a baserunner.
Meanwhile, right-handers Steve Delabar and Neil Wagner got the day off, as anticipated. Delabar has experienced some soreness recently, so the Blue Jays planned to give him the day off.
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GIBBONS LIKES ROTATION: Blue Jays starters have allowed six runs or more in four of the last five games, but Gibbons says he isn’t worried about the team’s rotation.
“This is our rotation, we like it,” he said. “You ride it out and we think they’re going to pitch good the rest of the way, we really do.”
One of the starters who allowed six runs, Chien-Ming Wang, has since been removed from the team’s rotation and outrighted to triple-A Buffalo.
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WHERE THINGS STAND: The Blue Jays fall to 42-45 with the loss and the Twins improve to 37-47. Toronto has now lost nine of 13 games since its 11-game winning streak.
Right-hander Todd Redmond makes his first start of the season Sunday, when the three-game series concludes at Rogers Centre. Left-hander Scott Diamond, a native of Guelph, ON, will pitch for Minnesota.
Redmond said before Saturday’s game that he’s not expecting to feel any jitters when he faces the Twins.
“I’m not going to overpower guys, so I just try to keep the ball down and get outs,” he said.
