text: Sluggish Jays waste Hutchison's solid start vs. Orioles: DiManno | The Star
  Sluggish Jays waste Hutchison's solid start vs. Orioles: DiManno
  BALTIMORE—John Gibbons is now 0-for-4 on video review challenges — rather like some of his alleged boppers have been hitting.
  But the Blue Jays skipper had a droll counter-narrative for that stat after Toronto dropped a 2-1 marathon in the 12th inning to the Orioles Saturday night.
  Baltimore's Chris Davis beats the tag from Blue Jay Maicer Izturis and steals second in the first inning of Saturday night's extra-inning game at Camden Yards. (Patrick Semansky / The Associated Press)
  "I might be 0-for-2 and somebody else might be 0-for-2 up there in New York."
  As in, who's reviewing the reviewers as the grand old game enters the 21st century, technologically, with what is rapidly turning into a dunderhead decision by Major League Baseball, and one which should be rescinded, lickety-split.
  Somehow, the second (and third) pair of eyes in MLB HQ determined that, at the least, there was insufficiently conclusive evidence to prove that Edwin Encarnacion had not taken his foot off the bag in stretching to make the catch as Steve Lombardozzi beat out a bunt ultimately scored as a single.
  "That's what we saw in here," said Gibbons, of the Blue Jay crew watching replays before giving the manager a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on risking a challenge with the umpires. In this case, two minutes and 38 seconds passed before Gibbons discovered the thumbs-down was on him.
  That play didn't determine the outcome of this middle game in a weekend trio at Camden Yards, entering Sunday at one win apiece.
  But another disputed — at the very least, poorly understood — call did very much affect the outcome.
  That was in the top of the seventh, scoreless ball game, with Dioner Navarro, after drawing a walk, moved along to second on Brett Lawrie's ground-out.
  With two out, Gibbons called upon Erik Kratz to pinch-hit, replacing the K-dizzy Ryan Goins. Home plate umpire Paul Emmel ruled that Kratz struck out swinging when he very much appeared to have checked himself and, if anything, stuck out his bat defensively — because the pitch had struck him on the hand. A reasonable person would have figured either foul tip or hit by a pitch.
  But the hand, in this situation, is considered part of the bat, an extension of it. Thus Kratz was swing-and-a-miss for the final out, with Baltimore taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of that same inning.
  "On strike three, even if the ball hits you, if he rules you swing, you're out," said Gibbons, who didn't make any fuss over the episode. In any event, umpires' ball and strike calls are not subject to challenges under the new procedures. But, the home plate ump could certainly have looked to his colleague at third base for an opinion before raising his arm, which Emmel did not.
  Kratz wasn't getting into a jawing match with the guy in the mask either, though he was clearly stunned by the call.
  "They said I swung," Kratz told reporters afterwards. "They said it was an easy call. So, it was a strikeout."
  Asked if there had been any discussion about Emmel consulting with another member of the crew, Kratz said no. It never got that far. "He said it was an easy call. He said he had it. I'm not going to stand there and argue too much. I got an explanation. I think I spent a lot of time up there because I was a little shocked by what he said."
  Kratz saw the replay later. He would not comment.
  The ball definitely hit his hand, though, and never, Kratz said, touched the bat. "It'll be fine. It's only a ball."
  So, no whingeing about it. Toronto's lightweight hitting, especially with men in scoring position, was the culprit.
  "We're not swinging the bats," said Gibbons. "We had a chance to win, we had a few shots, it just didn't happen."
  Best opportunity for Toronto in extra innings was in the 10th after Melky Cabrera doubled to right-centre, made it to third on a ground ball out by Maicer Izturis, and had Jose Bautista reaching first on a walk. But Encarnacion (.178) popped up to squelch the threat.
  The Jays entered this game with four players batting under .200. One of those south-of-Mendoza Jays is Colby Rasmus. His two-out ninth inning homer — on a 1-2 pitch from closer Tommy Hunter — drew Toronto into a comeback 1-1 tie. But ... see above.
  Toronto wasted a hearty six-inning shutout effort from Drew Hutchison and a whole bunch of stunning defence, with dramatic double plays and warning track catches.
  Neil Wagner came on in relief in the seventh and surrendered an RBI double to Jonathan Schoop that scored David Lough, making it 1-0 Orioles.
  Lombardozzi smacked a triple to the centre-field wall off Todd Redmond in the bottom of the 12th with one out. He came across the plate with the winning run on Lough's ensuing single.
  Young Hutchison, rebounding from a hideous outing against the Yankees last week — lasting just 3 1/3 innings, his shortest mound appearance ever, save for that fateful June 15, 2012, when a burning in his arm foretold Tommy John surgery — showed off some canny pitching against an offensively gifted club, holding defending home run king Chris Davis to a walk, strikeout, and long fly ball.
  Davis hardly laid a finger on the 23-year-old right hander.
  Neither did his partner-in-crime against the Jays — Adam Jones, with 14 homers since 2012. Hutchison froze Jones looking in the third inning, after Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz got aboard on singles, Davis retired to the dugout on his swinging strike.
  Only on one occasion did an Oriole get as far as third on Hutchison's watch.
  "I threw a lot of pitches early but I was able to find my groove there in the fifth and the sixth," he said, taking particular satisfaction in his effective changeup. "I made some good pitches with that."
  Problem was, the Jays weren't effective in solving Baltimore starter Bud Norris, though Cabrera did keep his hitting streak alive, now at 12 games. Worrisomely, though, Toronto has now scored four runs or fewer for the 10th time.
  Of flailing Encarnacion, Gibbons expressed no concern. "He looks a little late (on the swing). The ball's tying him up. Usually, any slumps are timing. Some guys, they're career slow starters." Encarnacion is one of those. "You can almost bank on it. They have a track record after a couple of years."
  While the hitting remains anemic, there's blood stirring for the Jays in two key roster members who've been on the DL.
  Jose Reyes (hamstring) and closer Casey Janssen (abdominal strain) will likely be seatmates on a flight to Florida Sunday or Monday, to get in some game action at Dunedin before coming off the DL. Reyes ran the bases yesterday easily and Janssen through a 'pen.
  "I think I threw pretty much as hard as I could without facing a hitter. There wasn't any holding back or any questioning myself."
  Said Gibbons: "I know Reyes will probably start playing in a game on Monday. I'm not sure what the plan is for Casey, probably Monday or Tuesday."