Jays squander Gausman’s brilliance, fall 2-1 in 10
Gausman did his best to make one run stand up, but it wasn’t to be
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 1: Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during the first inning of their MLB game against the Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre on April 1, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images Rockies 1 at Blue Jays 2 (10) It was one of those games where the starting pitcher was going to have to be almost flawless for his team to win. Kevin Gausman was up to the task and did his damnedest in holding the Rockies at bay for six innings, a but bullpen wobbles and a lack of hitting, first timely and then outright, undermined the effort as the Blue Jays fell in 10 innings.
Gausman was especially dominant over the first four innings, almost perfect really as he set the first 12 batters in order. The fastball was popping and well located, the splitter diving off the plate as he struck out six of those and a liner to third the only time the Rockies got close to touching him. Hunter Goodman had a particularly rough time, befuddled as Gausman dispatched him.
He was more human the last couple ininngs, as Ezequiel Tovar battled him for a long at-bat and lined a single up the middle to start the 5th. Hesitation on a roller allowed Tovar to beat the throw the second and create a real jam, though Gausman extricated himself with a couple strikeouts. After another hard hit in the 6th, he got another pair of strikeouts to end the inning in double digits for the second time, finishing 6 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts.
The bats were able to create opportunities early against Kyle Freeland, but couldn’t land decisive blows and largely squandered the chance to build a substantial lead: A lead off single in the 2nd from Okamotot was erased by a Kirk GIDP sanchwiched around another single Myles Straw blooped a single leading off the 3rd, scoring on a one-out Davis Schneider single after a Springer walk. Vladdy was (barely) hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out and really set up a big inning, but Okamoto struck out and Kirk flared out. Another Straw single in the 4th put two one after a HBP, but advanced no further.