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2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL games, April 10-12

By Bill Felber

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 24: Edinson Volquez #36 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the top of the first inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 24, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 24: Edinson Volquez #36 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the top of the first inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 24, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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Cavan Biggio of the Toronto Blue Jays. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Cavan Biggio of the Toronto Blue Jays. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL games (April 10-12)

American League East

The Blue Jays climbed into a tie for the division lead by winning two of the final three games of a four-game home series from Kansas City.  A key was slowing Royals third baseman Hunter Dozier, who entered the weekend with a .455 batting average but managed just two hits in a dozen at-bats from Friday through Sunday.

The Jays rode Cavan Biggio’s bases-clearing double to a 6-0 lead on Friday, then watched starter Ryan Borucki and reliever Wilmer Font survive a harrowing ninth in which the Royals scored four times, three coming on Alex Gordon’s home run.

Kansas City came back for a 2-1 win Saturday as Mike Montgomery out-pitched Jays ace Hyun-Jin Ryu, then on Sunday Randall Grichuk’s walk-off single scored Lourdes Gurriel for a 4-3 Jays decision.

In Baltimore, the Pirates and Orioles met in an inter-league battle of division tail-enders. Think of this as the Bryan Reynolds series. The young Pirates outfield sensation went seven-for-15 with a double, two homers and five RBIs as the Pirates won two of three.

Of the three games, the eye-catcher came Friday night when Pittsburgh broke a 7-7 tie in the top of the 14th with a six-run explosion against Hector Velasquez, the seventh Oriole pitcher. Reynolds and Colin Moran both contributed doubles during that decisive rally.

Related Story. 2020 MLB Season: Simulating NL games, April 6-9. light

                             W-L           Pct          GB 

Tampa Bay          9-7          .563        —

Toronto                9-7          .563        —

Boston                 8-9          .471        1.5

New York             7-9          .438        2

Baltimore            4-12       .250        5

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