The Blue Jays earn a series win against the Mets

Things worth mentioning…

• A well-rested Hyun Jin Ryu got the start looking to rebound after an ugly outing against the Yankees last week. Off the hop, it looked like things were going to go south for Ryu again. He allowed six hits over the first two innings, but managed to escape with only one run earned thanks to some hilariously bad base running by the Mets. Despite the sketchy start, Ryu would settle down and dominate in the latter half, allowing just two base runners over his final three innings of work. All told, he went six frames, allowing one earned run while collecting seven strikeouts and not walking a single batter. An interesting note about those strikeouts… Ryu is now averaging 10 strikeouts per nine this season, which is well above his career average of 8.2 per nine.

• After the Jays went down 1-0 in the first inning, Lourdes Gurriel gave the team the lead shortly after with a two-run moonshot…

• That was the only offence the Blue Jays would manage until the sixth inning when they went from walking the tightrope of another one-run nail-biter to kicking the door completely open. The Mets’ bullpen went ahead and walked four consecutive batters before Santiago Espinal came up with a clutch three-run double.

• Another thing worth mentioning is that Jonathan Villar had easily his best showing as a Blue Jay on Sunday. Since being acquired from the Marlins, Villar hasn’t been great. He hasn’t provided much offensively and he’s made some gaffes both defensively and on the bases. But, on Sunday, we saw the upside. Villar had a bases-loaded walk in that big sixth inning and he also made a spectacular diving play to help stop what could have turned into a big inning for the Mets.

• With the win, the Jays are now five-and-a-half games up on the Seattle Mariners, who sit ninth, and six games up on both the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles. They’re a half-game up on the Yankees and they’re three-and-a-half games back of Tampa Bay for the top spot in the American League East. At this point, the stretch drive is now about jockeying for the best position possible more so than it is just making the playoffs. Win that fucking AL East banner.