Torrential rains in Dunedin, Fla. marred Jose Berrios’ final Grapefruit League start. The Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies had to settle for a 2-2 draw on Saturday afternoon.
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The action had to be stopped late in the fifth inning when Mother Nature started acting up. Berrios was still on the mound for every turn at bat, giving up two runs on six hits and walking one. The Puerto Rican pitcher struck out three men.
At bat, the Jays opened their counter in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Teoscar Hernandez. Matt Chapman added a run in the fifth with his second long ball of the preseason games.
Nick Castellanos drove in the two runs for the Phillies on a single on the first assault.
The Queen City team will play three games by Tuesday to conclude the preparatory calendar.
The rain stops the bombardment
In Tampa, the rain came to put an end to the ordeal of the Atlanta Braves, who lost 10 to 0 against the New York Yankees when the game had to be stopped in the sixth inning.
Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo homered off starter Spencer Strider, who was retired by the Braves after two and a third innings. Kyle Higashioka hit his sixth and seventh long balls against the relievers.
Luis Severino was significantly more efficient for the Yankees, allowing just one strike to safety in four innings of work.
The Yankees will be the Jays’ next opponents on Sunday.
The Rays are still looking for each other
In Port Charlotte, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Twins were able to finish their game in peace. The Minnesota team was carried by five points from Nick Gordon to win 8-2.
After three uneventful innings, the shortstop put the Twins on the board by stretching his arms in the fourth. Gordon welcomed reliever Trevor Brigden, whose first pitch he sent over the center field fence. Gary Sanchez and Alex Kirilloff were able to cross the plate.
Gordon drove in two more runs on a triple on the sixth downing, before being driven home by Kyle Garlick.
It’s the eighth loss in 13 Grapefruit League games for the Rays.
