Choo’s double leads Tribe

Associated Press

TORONTO

After another day of dealing, the Cleveland Indians pulled out a win, too.

Shin-Soo Choo doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak.

Indians right-hander Jake Westbrook was scratched before the game and traded to St. Louis as part of a three-team deal. Cleveland also activated right-hander Kerry Wood from the disabled list and dealt him to the New York Yankees just before the 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline.

“It feels like we just got stripped of everybody,” outfielder Shelley Duncan said. “It was like, ‘Hold your breath until 4 p.m. and maybe we won’t lose anybody’ and we lost everybody. It’s kind of weird. Being 30, I just became ancient on this team.”

Manager Manny Acta said he was relieved to see the trade deadline come and go.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Acta said. “That way we can just move on.”

Duncan said the young talent could make for an interesting final two months for Cleveland.

“Once we get settled in after today and understand that this is our team, it might be pretty fun,” he said. “It’s really a nothing-to-lose attitude. We almost have the Columbus Clippers up here.”

The Indians called up outfielder Jordan Brown from Triple-A Columbus and will promote righty Jeanmar Gomez from Columbus to start today’s series finale.

With Westbrook on the block, the Indians warned Tomlin on Friday night that he might be pushed up a day to start on three days’ rest against the Blue Jays.

“I came in today ready to go just in case, but it never was a sure deal,” Tomlin said. “Towards the last inning, I could tell my arm was kind of dragging a little bit.”

Tomlin, who beat the Yankees in his major league debut on Tuesday, followed that performance by allowing only one run in 51/3 innings.

“He doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but there’s a place for a guy like him in this game because he throws strikes, mixes his pitches very well and is very poised,” Acta said.

Jensen Lewis (3-2) worked one inning of relief for the win, Joe Smith pitched 12/3 shutout innings and Chris Perez survived a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to earn his 11th save.

“He stepped up huge in that inning and got the save,” Acta said.

The loss snapped the Blue Jays’ four-game winning streak.

The Indians opened the scoring in the fourth. Singles by Choo and Carlos Santana and a walk to Duncan loaded the bases for Jason Donald, who drove in the opening run with a walk.

The Blue Jays tied the game in the fifth when catcher Jose Molina hit a first-pitch, solo homer to left-center.