Yariel Rodriguez’s strong five-inning outing results in a no-decision

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A dreary day in Dixie was sent into a tizzy the moment pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz stepped out of the dugout, bat in hand, the Blue Jays trailing 1-0 in the eighth inning and seemingly on their way to a series loss to the host Atlanta Braves.

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One day after belting a two home runs in a Jays victory over the Braves, Horwitz promptly turned on a Joe Jimenez pitch for a two-run homer, a 2-1 Toronto lead and, just like that, a game so devoid of drama was now oozing it.

So many twists and turns in the late innings and into extras, so many runners left on base, it became a battle of attrition.

In the end, though, bad defence by the Jays proved costly as they lost 4-3 in 11 innings, Atlanta taking two of the three weekend games.

If Jays fans hoped the team would rally behind Horwitz’s timely blast, it wasn’t to be.

After Erik Swanson and Genesis Cabrera got the Jays through the bottom of the eighth, de facto closer Chad Green, who has not been sharp in his pasat three appearances, gave up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.

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George Springer’s two-out RBI single did give the Jays the lead in the 11th inning, but again they couldn’t hold it.

Zach Pop, on the mound to pitch his second relief inning, broke the wrong way on Eli White’s sac bunt, putting runners at the corners.

Addison Barger’s throwing error on an Adam Duvall grounder tied the game and, after Matt Olson was intentionally walked, the fleet White raced home with the winning run on Sean Murphy’s slow bouncer up the middle that second baseman Horwitz didn’t have much a chance on.

As good as Horwitz has looked at the plate, he has not been as crisp with the glove at second. And both he and Barger, young players auditioning for a role next year, were exposed when the spotlight heated up so deep into the game.

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STARTERS SIZZLE

Based on pedigree, Sunday’s pitching matchup should have been one-sided, but turned out to be far more competitive.

Yariel Rodriguez has had his moments on the mound during his rookie campaign, but he’s nowhere near the level of Braves starter Chris Sale.

That being said, Rodriguez made only one mistake, but it happened to be a home run he surrendered to Jarred Kelenic in the second inning.

Otherwise, he duelled Sale through his five innings, allowing just two other base-runners — a single and a walk. He struck out six.

Sale, meanwhile gave up just two hits and a walk and hit George Springer during six shutout innings. He fanned seven.

Sale, who lowered his ERA to a brilliant 2.38 with this outing, is 35 years old and has never won a Cy Young Award, despite being in contention during his run in the American League when he pitched for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.

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That drought could end on a Braves team that entered the day outside of a wild-card slot.

THE HOME STRETCH

The Jays now prepare for their penultimate homestand as a 12-game run against National League opposition continues with a Monday date against the New York Mets followed by a visit by the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Jays have 18 games remaining to a season that will end at home with three games apiece against Boston and Miami.

CROSSING (BASE) PATHS

Teammates in Toronto having come through the Jays’ system, Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio will reunite this week when the Gwinnett Stripers play host to the Buffalo Bisons on Tuesday night in triple-A action.

For Bichette, it marks the start of his rehab assignment as he works his way back from a calf injury. For Biggio, it marks his debut in the Atlanta Braves organization after he was acquired from the San Francisco Giants.

Biggio’s itinerant path began when the Jays first DFA’d the utility infielder in early June and then dealt him to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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