Blue Jays find winning mix with Ryu, defense

TORONTO -- Amid a scarcity of runs and an ongoing slump with runners in scoring position, the Blue Jays still carved out ways to support their starting pitcher on Friday night.

Hyun Jin Ryu’s game stats would rightly indicate a dominant outing. But the left-hander got plenty of potentially game-changing help from his defense in a 2-1 win over the Reds at Rogers Centre that allowed no margin for error.

“That’s one of the reasons why we’ve won games, it’s our defense,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “There’s no room for error and we’ve got to make all the plays. And we’ve been making all the plays.”

Ryu struck out three and didn’t allow a walk in six scoreless frames, handing the Blue Jays (21-18) a 17th quality start -- tied with the Astros for most in the American League. His fastball velocity was as high and his command as on point as they’ve been all year.

“He’s back to himself,” Montoyo said of Ryu, who threw 78 pitches in his second start since a left forearm ailment had him sidelined since mid-April. “He’s commanding his pitches, he’s throwing his breaking pitches for strikes. And when you see that, that’s when he pitches well. That’s what he’s done in his last two starts.”

Yet, of the six hits Ryu allowed, five were doubles -- one of them to Joey Votto in his return to Toronto and his first game back from a COVID bout. And there was no shortage of hard contact against the 35-year-old Ryu. The close win may have looked a lot different if some of those hard-hit balls hadn’t landed directly where a Blue Jays fielder was perfectly positioned.

Take Raimel Tapia’s catch to end the sixth inning, for example.

Kyle Farmer, who had already doubled twice off Ryu, launched a sharp line drive to left field with an expected batting average of .600, which Tapia caught with ease to strand a runner at second base for the fifth consecutive inning. It was eerily similar to the fate Tapia handed to Mike Moustakas two innings prior, when the game was still scoreless.

“Our defense has been really good, and I feel great because that’s what we’ve been working towards,” Tapia said. “We’re always paying attention to every little play so we can help the team to a win.”

Toronto fielders have committed just 17 errors this season, the third-best mark in the AL. Every ounce of attention counts for a team that has seen a disproportionate amount of close games and whose promising offense continues to falter.

The Blue Jays left seven runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, worsening a mark that’s already at the basement of the AL. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 0-for-4 night snapped his 15-game hit streak.

“There’s going to be those games. Hitters are going to have those games. That happens as a starting pitcher,” Ryu said through an interpreter. “If you go out there and try to keep our team in the game to give us a chance of winning, there is going to be one of those innings where we can get a couple of runs in.”

Those couple of runs came in the fifth inning against the Reds.

Bradley Zimmer muscled a one-out double off Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo, then hustled home on a George Springer single. Springer then scored from first on a Bo Bichette double before Guerrero and Teoscar Hernández grounded out to end the frame.

Ryan Borucki yielded the Reds’ run in the seventh inning and the game remained a nail-biter until the top of the ninth. The Blue Jays turned to closer Jordan Romano, who had been sidelined with a gastrointestinal infection since May 16.

Romano induced groundouts from the first two batters he faced, then he got Tyler Naquin to fly out to center for a 1-2-3 ninth and his 13th save of the year.

“Of course, there was no room for error, but he looked like the old Romano,” Montoyo said. “He did a great job. And yes, it was great to see him [back on the mound].”

There’s a reason why Montoyo is such a big proponent of “pitching and defense” as the key to winning games. And while the Blue Jays’ offensive slump trudges on, that mantra has become even more important.

“When the game is that hard-fought, good defense is what gives us a better chance to win,” Tapia said.