Blue Jays split thrilling two-game set against Giants in San Fran

After a humiliating stretch of baseball, the Blue Jays (17-25) hoped to earn a win (or two) against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park this week. Though the team was boosted by a couple of special hits from a special player, they managed just to split the two-game series, piggybacking off a strong set of starts and making things interesting even when they were down.

Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the weird from the team’s third trip to California this season:

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 2 R) had a tremendous series, while infielders Freddy Galvis (3-for-9, 2 2B, 2 RBI) and Eric Sogard (2-for-5, R) also had a hand in contributing offensively. Brandon Drury (1-for-3, BB) was also productive in the lone game he played at Oracle Park.

Starter Trent Thornton, who went 2-for-3 in his first major league game as a hitter, also tossed a solid game, going 5.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits, walking five and striking out seven. Thornton, 25, earned his first major league win and dropped

his ERA to 4.81 on the season.

In the ‘pen, Ken Giles (1.0 IP, 2 SO, 0 H, 0 R) was dominant once again, as were Daniel Hudson (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R) and Tim Mayza (2.1 IP, 2 SO, 1 H, 0 R).

Teoscar Hernandez (0-for-5, 5 SO) faltered mightily at the plate, wearing a golden sombrero in the second game. The catching tandem of Luke Maile (0-for-3, SO) and Danny Jansen (0-for-3, BB, 2 SO) were equally futile, continuing their less-than-ideal offensive season as a pair.

On the mound, Ryan Tepera (1.0 IP, H, ER, 2 SO, HR) allowed the game-winning bomb in Wednesday’s game, while Joe Biagini (0.2 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 SO) wasn’t too sharp himself in Tuesday’s tilt.

Interestingly enough, Trent Thornton, who on Tuesday appeared at the plate for the first time in his major league career, is a switch hitter, according to Buck Martinez, Pat Tabler, and Hazel Mae on the Sportsnet broadcast. While Thornton was mostly concerned with bunting practice ahead of the game, he took hacks from both sides of the plate, opting to face Giants righty Tyler Beede from the right side in his first career AB.

The potentially energized Blue Jays will now head Guaranteed Rate Field to battle the Chicago White Sox (19-22) in a four-game mega-series which will feature Dylan Covey (0-2, 5.91 ERA, 5 SO), Ivan Nova (2-3, 6.29 ERA, 31 SO), Lucas Giolito (4-1, 3.55 ERA, 46 SO), and Reynaldo Lopez (3-4, 5.59 ERA, 53 SO) taking the mound against Marcus Stroman (1-6, 3.12 ERA, 45 SO), Aaron Sanchez (3-4, 3.75 ERA, 46 SO), an unknown pitcher, and Thornton (1-1, 4.81 ERA, 46 SO).

The first pitch of the first game flies at 8:10 PM EDT.