Bateman records first big-league hit as Jays defeat Phillies

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All eyes were on Jose Soriano, the prized pitcher on the trade market whom the Blue Jays acquired from the L.A. Angels, a Dominican-born right-hander many believe will complement staff ace Dylan Cease.

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Cease has raised the pitching bar to the highest of levels in his first season with the club, especially on the road, where he extended his scoreless streak to 36 innings following seven stellar frames Thursday at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Soriano won’t have the benefit of being with the Jays and the club’s highly regarded pitching coaches for an entire spring training, which Cease experienced.

In time, a more complete understanding of Soriano’s stuff and approach will be made clearer.

His time with the Jays officially began Friday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia where Soriano made his club debut against the host Phillies. The start of the game was delayed for approximately two hours because of rain.

All it took was the first inning to get an idea why Soriano brings so much intrigue and potential.

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He wore jersey No. 40 and threw a 97 m.p.h. sinker to begin his outing when facing Kyle Schwarber, who would strike out.

Trey Turner flew out to right, while Bryce Harper grounded out to end the inning.

Soriano tossed 10 pitches, including nine for strikes.

In the second, he needed nine pitches to retire Luis Arraez on a flyout to left.

The first to reach base off Soriano was Brandon Marsh, who fell behind 0-2 in the count before working a two-out walk.

The first hit yielded quickly followed when J.T. Realmuto sent a liner into left field that was misplayed by Jesus Sanchez for an error as Marsh came around to score.

Second time through the order and Soriano gave up a double to Schwarber, who would eventually come around to score on an RBI single by Harper.

Soriano worked around a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, which ended when he induced a grounder the Jays turned into a double play.

When Soriano faced Schwarber for the third time, there were runners on second and third with none out in the fifth inning with the Jays leading 3-2.

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Soriano struck out Schwarber on a knuckle curve.

He then struck out Turner.

Manager John Schneider made the walk to the mound to signal the end of Soriano’s first start with the Jays.

So very good and electric in the first inning, Soriano threw too many pitches, walking three and striking out three in his 94-pitch outing.

The way he battled in the fifth was encouraging, as was the way reliever Mason Fluharty retired Harper on a strikeout to end the inning, one of several dramatic moments eerily reminiscent of Thursday’s game in Chicago.

One game after Louis Varland blew his first save of the season, Tyler Rogers would be asked to seal the deal with the Jays leading by three.

His ninth inning began by yielding back-to-back walks.

Following a catcher interference call to load the bases, the outcome suddenly became in doubt, the suspense increasing.

The game ended when Rogers covered the bag at first in a sequence that highlighted Kazuma Okamoto’s inexperience at first base.

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Philadelphia asked for a review of the call, but the out call stood and the Jays barely surived a 5-4 thriller.

The following are three takeaways on a night Jays hitting coach Dave Popkins was ejected in the fourth inning, a night when Nathan Lukes capped off an epic 15-pitch at-bat by sending a ball into right field for a single in the sixth, a night knuckleballer Matt Waldron made his debut after Toronto claimed the right-hander off waivers earlier in the week from the San Diego Padres.

BATEMAN’S DAZZLING DEBUT

It was a big day for Brett Bateman, one of the prospects acquired in the deal that sent Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs.

On the same night Gausman made his debut with the Cubs, Bateman would make his debut in the majors.

He was activated on the same day Luis Urias headed to the IL because of a quad strain.

Bateman didn’t take long to record his first big-league hit.

On the first pitch he saw from Philly starter Zack Wheeler, Bateman went the other way on a sharply hit ball that went off the wall in left field for a double.

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Family in attendance celebrated, while Bateman took in a moment he’ll never forget.

Bateman, who throws with his left hand, started in centre field and batted ninth in the order.

He also drew two walks.

WAITING ON VLAD JR.

For the third game in a row and ninth this season, a career-high, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was not in the starting lineup as he continues to deal with tightness in his hamstring.

There’s a chance he’ll be back Saturday, but until his name is officially written on the scorecard Vlad Jr.’s status remains unknown.

Despite his ongoing struggles at the plate, any lineup without Vlad Jr. isn’t as imposing on a Jays team best described as offensively challenged.

In Toronto’s brutal 3-2 loss to the Cubs in 11 innings on Thursday, the Jays went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position, the worst display of hitting under such a backdrop in franchise history.

Heck, the Jays’ first run Thursday came on a first-inning balk.

BY GOSH, JOSH

As much as Bateman won’t soon forget his debut in the show, Josh Smith will always remember his 29th birthday, which arrived Friday when he started at third base. He recorded a three-hit game, including going deep for the first time with the Blue Jays.

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He also recorded his first stolen base with the club, eventually coming around to score on a sac fly when the Jays successfully challenged Harper’s arm in right field for the second time on the night.

Smith’s big blow came in the eighth inning, a solo shot that extended Toronto’s lead.

Up Next

The second game of a three-game series is scheduled to feature Max Scherzer starting for the Jays, while the Phillies counter with fellow righty Aaron Nola (6:05 p.m. first pitch); in his last start, Scherzer tied his season high by going six innings against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, a quality outing when the veteran gave up one run on four hits.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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