Sure-handed Braves dominate Blue Jays in abbreviated interleague battle

In the team’s final interleague series of the season, the Blue Jays (now 55-85), strolled into Atlanta to face off against the steadfast Braves in an abbreviated two-game set that featured a slew of openers and relievers battling against one of the National League’s most potent offences.

Though the Blue Jays dropped both games, worsening their record even further, there were some mild positives to take away from the mini-series in Georgia, with several bats coming to life, and even more arms dominating in shortened outings.

Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the weird from this weekend’s shortened set in Atlanta:

Bo Bichette (2-for-7, R, BB), Derek Fisher (2-for-4, R, 2B, BB), and Rowdy Tellez (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI) all had solid sets, with Tellez adding two more bombs to his season totals.

Jason Adam (2.0 IP, H, 0 R/ER, SO), Ryan Tepera (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, BB, 3 SO), and Sam Gaviglio (0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER) were all great out of the ‘pen, while Jordan Romano (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, SO) was also stellar.

Most of the offensive forces, including Cavan Biggio (1-for-7, BB, 2 SO), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (0-for-3, BB, SO), Teoscar Hernandez (1-for-7, 2B, 4 SO), Danny Jansen (0-for-3, 0 TB), Billy McKinney (1-for-4, 2B, BB, 3 SO), and Brandon Drury (1-for-4, 2 SO) all struggled, with the last of the list committing a particularly hindering error at third base in the first game.

Elsewhere in the lineup, Justin Smoak (0-for-4, 0 TB) struggled, so too did Beau Taylor (0-for-2, SO).

On the hill, Wilmer Font (1.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, SO), Buddy Boshers (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, ER, HR), and Derek Law (1.0 IP, R/ER, BB, 2 SO) were knocked around, with fellow hurler Tim Mayza (0.1 IP, H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB) also faltering.

In quite a minute moment in Tuesday’s game, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt wiped his right eye with his right hand following a borderline pitch from Atlanta’s Mike Foltynewicz, causing him, and the batter, Blue Jays first baseman Rowdy Tellez, to believe the pitch was a strike, even though Wendelstedt never made the universally accepted strike call.

After a few chirps from the Braves dugout, Wendelstedt clarified that he hadn’t meant to make any movements with his arms as to call the pitch a strike, and rightfully announced the count as it stood then.

Now bound for the house of horrors, the Blue Jays will head to Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field to battle the wild-card hungry Rays (81-59) in a series with no probable starters, per MLB.com.

However, it’s likely that Jacob Waguespack (4-3, 3.97 ERA, 46 SO) and Trent Thornton (4-9, 5.34 ERA, 123 SO) will get starts for the Blue Jays, while Ryan Yarbrough (11-3, 3.49 ERA, 102 SO), Charlie Morton (14-6, 3.06 ERA, 209 SO), and Andrew Kittredge (1-0, 4.38 ERA, 45 SO) should all toe the rubber at some point for Tampa Bay.