Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Jeremy Sowers pitched seven innings and registered his seventh win.
TORONTO (AP) -- Andy Marte's grand slam in the eighth inning snapped a tie and carried the Cleveland Indians to a 7-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
Down 2-1 in the eighth, the Indians rallied with five runs off reliever Jeremy Accardo (1-1). Marte's first career bases-loaded homer was the Indians' team-record 13th slam of the season.
Jeremy Sowers (7-3) pitched seven innings for the victory, allowing just two runs and five hits. He struck out three and walked none.
Bengie Molina homered for the Blue Jays, who had won three straight.
Toronto ace Roy Halladay got a no-decision despite allowing just one run and five hits in seven innings. He struck out a season-high nine.
Relieved in eighth
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons replaced him to start the eighth because he had thrown 108 pitches. Toronto is cautious with Halladay, who hopes to complete his first full season in two years.
Cleveland's Ryan Garko doubled to right off Accardo in the eighth. Gibbons argued that he was thrown out by Alex Rios, who heaved the ball from the right-field corner on the fly to second base.
Garko advanced to third on Sin-Soo Choo's infield single and scored on Casey Blake's grounder to Accardo, whose throw to the plate was too late.
Accardo then walked Joe Inglett before Marte hit his second home run of the season.
Blake's RBI single in the fourth gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead.
Toronto's John McDonald singled in the sixth and scored on Rios' RBI triple to right.
Hector Luna's RBI single in the ninth off Davis Romero made it 7-2.
Notes
Cleveland DH Travis Hafner didn't start for the fourth straight game because of a bruised right hand. Hafner was hit by a pitch Friday night and his status is day-to-day. ... McDonald, Toronto's SS, doffed his cap to the crowd after stumbling on a ground ball in the seventh. McDonald made the throw for the out despite tripping and falling. The crowd gave him a loud cheer. ... A few fans chanted 'Fire Gibbons! Fire Gibbons!' in the ninth. Gibbons has faced some heat after he scuffled with pitcher Ted Lilly last month.
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