Salazar fans 10 as Indians beat Blue Jays, 4-2
Published 1:38 am Tuesday, September 1, 2015
TORONTO (AP) — Jerry Sands singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, Danny Salazar struck out 10 and the Cleveland Indians won their sixth straight game, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Monday night.
Salazar (12-7) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. He reached double digits in strikeouts for the fifth time this season and the first time since fanning 10 against Baltimore on June 6.
Bryan Shaw got two outs in the eighth and Cody Allen finished for his 28th save.
Ryan Raburn doubled home the tying run as the Indians matched their longest winning streak of the season and halted Toronto’s run at four.
Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion, who was named AL player of the week after batting .391 (9 for 23) with six home runs and 17 RBIs, extended his hitting streak to 26 games with a leadoff single in the sixth. Encarnacion’s streak is the longest in the majors this season, and baseball’s longest since a 28-game run by Colorado’s Nolan Arenado in 2014.
Encarnacion finished 2 for 4 with a double. It’s the ninth straight game he has recorded at least one extra base hit, matching Shawn Green’s 1999 team record. However, Encarnacion failed to record an RBI, ending an eight-game run.
Cleveland’s Jason Kipnis hit a leadoff double in the first, moved to third on a fielder’s choice and scored when Michael Brantley grounded into a double play.
Toronto responded with a two-out rally in the fifth. Ryan Goins and Ben Revere singled and both runners scored on Josh Donaldson’s triple. Donaldson leads baseball with 108 RBIs.
The Indians reclaimed the lead in the seventh. Carlos Santana walked and tied it on Raburn’s double, with Raburn taking third on Goins’ relay throw to the plate. One out later, Sands grounded an RBI single through the left side.
Left-hander David Price (13-5) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings, losing for the first time in six starts since joining Toronto. He walked one and struck out nine.
Toronto threatened in the eighth but left the bases loaded. Jose Bautista singled, Encarnacion doubled and Troy Tulowitzki was intentionally walked to bring up Justin Smoak, who struck out on Allen’s 2-2 curveball.
Cleveland made it 4-2 in the ninth when Yan Gomes scored on Donaldson’s throwing error.
Hitting with men at first and second in the ninth, Donaldson struck out on a checked swing for the game’s final out.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: Manager Terry Francona said RHP Gavin Floyd (elbow) and INF Chris Johnson (left index finger) would be activated off the DL when rosters expand Tuesday. Cleveland also intends to recall RHP Shawn Armstrong from Triple-A Columbus.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Cody Anderson (2-3, 4.30 ERA) is winless in five starts. He’s the third rookie starter the Blue Jays have faced in their past five games.
Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (11-8, 3.19 ERA) has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 11 of his past 13 starts.