Vlad Jr. extends streak, but A’s silence Blue Jays batters

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s hit streak has become, for now, the only meaningful item worth monitoring for the Blue Jays until someone — pitcher or positional player — musters something of consequence to supplant the personal pursuit.

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The way Yariel Rodriguez was dealing, the first-year Blue Jays pitcher was well on his way to dominating the headlines given his commanding performance.

It would end with a thud, though, when Rodriguez gave up the game’s first run on a home run.

Even though he took the loss, Rodriguez emerged as the Jays’ best player on this afternoon when two measly hits would be produced, none beyond the second inning, as the visiting Oakland A’s escaped Rogers Centre with a 1-0 win.

The series rubber match will be a Sunday matinee as the Oakland-based A’s make their final visit to Toronto before the club relocates to Sacramento next season.

At least fans were able to witness the flame thrower known as Mason Miller, Oakland’s closer who faced the Jays’ top of the order in the bottom of the ninth.

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Miller struck out George Springer on a favourable pitch that reached 100 miles per hour.

Daulton Varsho then drew a walk to bring Vlad Jr. up to the plate with the game on the line in a mano-a-mano showdown between power pitcher and power bat.

The Jays’ offensive futility seemed almost forgotten until Miller’s 103 mph fastball struck out Guerrero. swinging.

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Then came Spencer Horwitz, who also struck out.

As for Vlad Jr., it took him one at-bat to extend his hit streak to 22 games, which ties his career high.

Shawn Green holds the team record at 28 game set during Green’s all-star season in 1999.

The only other Jays player to record a hit Saturday was Ernie Clement.

Through three innings, offence was pretty scarce to the point of non-existence.

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In fact, only one baserunner, Oakland’s Brent Rooker, was able to advance beyond first base for either team on an afternoon featuring zero runs.

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Keep in mind, the Jays took the series opener, 3-1, on the strength of two homers, a leadoff belt by Springer, the other a late-inning blast off the bat of Horwitz.

Oakland began the fourth inning with Rodriguez recording two straight strikeouts.

He then gave up a single, the third yielded on the day, before Rodriguez raised his strikeout total to five.

His Oakland counterpart, Osvaldo Bido, was just as good, if not better, in retiring the side in order in the home half of the frame.

By the very definition, the game turned into a pitchers’ duel.

Both starters would hit a batter with Bido plunking Leo Jimenez with one out in the fifth inning.

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It was Bido’s lone errant pitch of the frame as he struck out three to match Rodriguez in reaching five strikeouts through five innings.

The game’s long-awaited first run would arrive in the sixth inning.

It came with two outs and it featured a crew chief review after Rooker went deep into left-centre on what initially was ruled a double.

Video replay clearly showed the ball left the field of play.

One single later and Rodriguez was lifted, on the hook for the loss as if more salt was needed in the wound.

PEN PALS

Looking way back when no games were played, no player injured or traded, the Jays thought the season would begin with a healthy Jordan Romano, a healthy Erik Swanson, a dependable left-hander in Tim Mayza, an eighth-inning option in Yimi Garcia and a versatile Trevor Richards.

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Flash forward to the present and specifically Saturday’s game and so few options were available.

Having pitched in two successive games by recording two straight saves, Chad Green was not available.

In Green’s past 11 appearances, which encompasses 13.0 innings, the righty has only allowed one earned run.

He’s by far the best reliever in Toronto’s bullpen, forced to serve as the club’s closer.

With Genesis Cabrera on the paternity list, the Jays were missing an electric arm who can be erratic, but who can nonetheless be lethal when facing left-handed hitters.

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The onus, clearly, was on Rodriguez, who entered Saturday having pitched only once into the seventh inning in his previous 11 starts.

He gave the Jays 5.2 innings Saturday before making way for Ryan Burr, who ended the sixth inning by recording a strikeout.

When Rodriguez was relieved, he had thrown a season-high 85 pitches.

Burr struck out three in 1.1 innings.

Brendon Little started the eighth and induced a double play after surrendering a leadoff single.

Tommy Nance made his Blue Jays debut when he pitched the ninth inning.

One out and two singles later and Nance would be replaced by Zach Pop, whose second pitch resulted in an inning-ending double play.

SWING AND A MISS

For the first time during his short time with the Blue Jays, Joey Loperfido did not have a strikeout in Friday night’s win.

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It didn’t take long for the free-swinging left-handed bat to return to his whiff ways, only this time he struck out looking in his first at-bat Saturday.

For Loperfido, whom the Jays acquired from Houston, it was his 58th overall strikeout this season, exactly double the amount of hits he’s recorded.

As a Blue Jay, the second-inning strikeout was Loperfido’s 15th K in his eighth game.

In the top of the fifth inning, Loperfido was a bit over-zealous when he ran in front of Varsho, who had already camped under to make the catch, to record the out.

Loperfido then led off the home half of the fifth and struck out swinging on a full count.

SERVIN TIME

Amid little attention, Brian Serven has acquitted himself well when called upon to start behind home plate.

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The position, it goes without saying, was stronger when Danny Jansen was around, but the veteran was shipped to Boston, one of six pending free agents the Blue Jays parted company in the days and hours leading up to the July 30 trade deadline.

The Jansen-Alejandro Kirk platoon worked well.

Serven knocked in three runs when the Jays were in the Bronx to play the Yankees.

He was behind home plate Saturday for his ninth start at catcher.

He drew a leadoff walk in the third inning before Oakland turned a double play.

Kirk pinch hit for Serven with two outs in the eighth inning.

He grounded out.

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