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2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL games, April 27-30

By Bill Felber

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 14: Jordan Luplow #8 of the Cleveland Indians at bat during the second inning during the first game of a double header at Progressive Field on September 14, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 14: Jordan Luplow #8 of the Cleveland Indians at bat during the second inning during the first game of a double header at Progressive Field on September 14, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL Games (April 27-30)

American League East

The visiting Red Sox put Toronto on early notice that this would not be the Jays’ series. Jackie Bradley’s grand slam capped a six-run first inning Monday off Toronto starter Chase Anderson, who only recorded two outs. The Sox scored in every inning except the eighth on their way to an 18-7 victory. Alex Verdugo, Rafael Devers, Kevin Plawecki, and Xavier Bogaerts also homered.

Boston’s 6-4 Tuesday decision took more work; in fact, it wasn’t settled until Bogaerts and Devers delivered run-producing hits off Brian Moran in the top of the 10th. Those broke a 4-4 tie and sent the Sox to a 6-4 win for Austin Brice in relief of Eduardo Rodriguez.

The Blue Jays took a  5-3 lead into the ninth inning Wednesday, but Verdugo’s home run keyed a four-run rally off Anthony Bass, who came into the game having allowed just three runs and five hits all season. Andrew Benintendi chased the two deciding runs across with a base hit.

New York’s mid-week series against the Tigers started well enough with another six-run first, this time against Spencer Turnbull. Gleyber Torres highlighted the inning with a three-run home run.

But the Tigers rallied Tuesday, and they did so against Yankee ace Gerrit Cole, whose cause was undermined by four errors that permitted five unearned runs to cross the plate. Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs and Christin Stewart two, those coming on a home run off  Kohl in a six-run Tiger seventh.

New York avenged the loss with a 12-5 rout Thursday, the Yankees scoring the first 12 runs before Adam Ottavino allowed Detroit a five-run ninth-inning rally. In a five-for-five game, Torres homered twice more and drove in five runs, in the process lifting his average for the season to a league-leading .381.

The Yanks regained third baseman Giovanny Urshela, who had been sidelined for a week with an injury. But they again lost slugger Aaron Judge to leg issues. He is expected to be out several days.

Related Story. 2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL games, April 24-26. light

                                W-L      Pct       GB

Boston                 19-14     .576        —

New York            18-14     .573        .5

Baltimore            14-17     .452        4

Toronto                13-18     .419        5

Tampa Bay          13-20     .394        6

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