 allowed one run and eight hits in six innings, struck out seven and walked none.''The extra day helped,'' Ryu said through a translator. ''I felt fresh. Today I felt good on the mound.'' The left-hander retired his final eight batters, fanning four. Ryu has not lost since July 30 against Washington, his second start of the season.''He's an ace,'' Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. ''Early on, phew, they were on to him, and then he made an adjustment and did a great job.'' Toronto second baseman Jonathan Villar made the defensive play of the game, leaping to snare Pete Alonso's liner in the eighth.Gurriel made a sliding catch in left in the first, then connected on the first pitch he saw in the second. His 447-foot drive left the Triple-A ballpark the Blue Jays are using as their temporary home, clearing the high screen in left that's intended to keep balls from landing on neighboring Oak Street.''''Every time he goes to hit, I think he's going to hit a homer,'' Espinal said of Gurriel. ''It's been fun to watch.'' New York's Dominic Smith hit a two-out RBI single off Ryu in the first but the inning ended when Frazier got caught in a rundown between third and home.''Those types of events happening are just going to challenge us, especially at this point of the season,'' Mets manager Luis Rojas said. ''We have 13 games to go, we've got to clean it up.'' New York's David Peterson (4-2) lost for the first time since Aug. 2, allowing two runs and three hits in five innings.Brad Brach walked the bases loaded to begin the Toronto sixth before Jared Hughes walked Villar to force in a run. After pinch-hitter Travis Shaw struck out, Espinal cleared the bases with a double.''I just pretty much stunk,'' Brach said. ''There's no other way to really explain it.'' Luis Guillorme replaced Jeff McNeil at second base in the bottom of the fourth. The Mets said McNeil was removed because of an upset stomach. Rojas said McNeil was feeling better after the game.TRAINER'S ROOMMets: New York activated LHP Steven Matz (shoulder) off the injured list and optioned RHP Drew Smith to the alternate training site. Rojas said Matz was available out of the bullpen against Toronto. . Brandon Nimmo started in center in place of Jake Marisnick, who is day-to-day after leaving Saturday's game because of a tight right hamstring.Blue Jays: OF Teoscar Hernandez (strained left oblique) took swings on the field before the game. . RHP Nate Pearson (elbow) and RHP Matt Shoemaker (shoulder) are both expected to throw live batting practice later this week, manager Charlie Montoyo said.UP NEXTMets: New York is off Monday. RHP Rick Porcello (1-4, 6.07) starts Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia. The Phillies have not named a starter.Blue Jays: After an off day Monday, RHP Taijuan Walker (3-2, 2.95) starts Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium. RHP Deivi Garcia (1-1, 3.06) starts for the Yankees.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Clinging to second place in AL East, Jays host Mets againIt has been a series of contrasts.After the New York Mets defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 18-1 in the opener, the Blue Jays came back to win 3-2 Saturday night to set up a rubber match of the three-game series Sunday afternoon at Buffalo.Rookie left-hander David Peterson (4-1, 4.26 ERA) will start for the Mets against Blue Jays left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu (3-1, 3.19).The victory Saturday allowed the Blue Jays (25-20) to maintain second place in the American League East by a half-game over the third-place New York Yankees.The Mets (21-25) are two games out of a National League wild-card spot. Mets outfielder Jake Marisnick left the game Saturday with tightness in his right hamstring.Shortstop Bo Bichette (sprained right knee) returned to Toronto's lineup from the injured list Saturday and went 1-for-4 in his first game since Aug. 15.Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk made his major league debut Saturday and was 1-for-3 with a walk. He was behind the plate as left-hander Robbie Ray allowed one run in five innings to earn his first win in three outings since Toronto acquired him from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade.Bichette missed 27 games, and his return should help a team that recently lost Teoscar Hernandez (oblique strain) and Rowdy Tellez (knee strain).Bichette is batting .354/.382/.646. Even without him, the Blue Jays put themselves into a solid position for a postseason spot."They've been playing amazing," Bichette said. "They've been fighting every night and winning a lot of close games. As much as I wanted to be a part of it, it was just as much fun to watch it and see how they competed over the past four weeks." The Mets got three hits Saturday from Amed Rosario, who has been sharing time at shortstop with rookie Andres Gimenez.Rosario said that manager Luis Rojas told him recently that Gimenez will receive the bulk of the playing time when the Mets face right-handers."I haven't had very in-depth conversations with anyone, aside from Rojas," Rosario said through a team interpreter before the game Saturday. "I was told that Gimenez would get a big majority of the right-handed pitchers, but other than that, there hasn't been any of these rules about who's to start and who's not." "Every day, we want the best lineup," Rojas said. "Regardless if it's right or left, I always have the conversation with them, just to keep them ready. It may be that we're facing a lefty tomorrow and Gimenez is there. It may be that we have a righty and that Rosario is there. I give them the possibilities and I try to keep them ready." Ryu will be starting against the Mets for the ninth time in his career Sunday. He was 1-0 without allowing a run in two starts last season over 14 2/3 innings. He is 4-1 with a 1.20 ERA in his career against the Mets.Peterson had shoulder inflammation in mid-August and spent the minimum 10 days on the injured list. He returned with a win as a reliever over the Baltimore Orioles Sept. 2, pitching four scoreless innings.His worst outing of the season came against the Philadelphia Phillies in New York on Monday. He allowed five runs in two innings, blaming poor fastball command.He has never faced the Blue Jays.--Field Level Media
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