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Indians blasted by Blue Jays
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
Toronto Blue Jays' Rajai Davis, left, hits a two-RBI single against Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mitch Talbot during the second inning of a baseball game in Cleveland on Friday, July 8, 2011. Behind the plate is Cleveland Indians catcher Lou Marson. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Associated Press
Cleveland
Thursday night just wasn’t on the minds of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Travis Snider drove in five runs and Rajai Davis knocked in four for Toronto and the Blue Jays bounced back from a day after a stunning loss to beat the Indians 11-7 on Friday night.
“The thing we’ve seen time and time again this season, is when we’ve had some adversity the day before we’ve put it behind us,” Toronto manager John Farrell said. “We continue to battle and compete.”
Jo-Jo Reyes (4-7) pitched 52/3 shaky innings for his first win in his last four starts. He gave up three unearned runs, eight hits and two walks without a strikeout as Cleveland left 12 men on base.
Manager Manny Acta said the inability of Mitch Talbot (2-6) to throw first-pitch strikes was a key reason Cleveland couldn’t build off its exciting 5-4 win a day earlier on Travis Hafner’s walkoff grand slam.
“He really put us behind the 8-ball,” Acta said. “The offense showed some life, but unfortunately it was too big a hole to dig out of it.”
Davis had a two-run single in the second and RBI single in the fourth. Snider’s two-run shot off Talbot in the sixth made it 7-2. He added a two-run double in the ninth against Vinnie Pestano.
Talbot may be replaced in the rotation if the Indians want to keep their AL Central lead, which dropped to a half-game over Detroit.
“He’s scuffling right now, trying to be too fine,” Acta said. “We’re not going to overreact, but it has been 31/2 months. We are on top and have to do what is best for the team.”
Talbot allowed 11 hits and eight runs over 51/3 innings. He is 0-5 in seven starts since winning in Toronto on May 31. The right-hander has been rocked for 27 runs in his last 242/3 innings, a 9.85 ERA.
“I need to be more 1-2 [in the count] than 2-1,” he said. “I’m maybe trying to be too fine.”
Talbot said he feels pressure to succeed.
“It is a given that when you are in the running and you’re not doing the job they are probably going to replace you,” he said.
Cleveland got within 9-6 in the eighth. Asdrubal Cabrera, named the AL starting shortstop for the All-Star game when Yankees star Derek Jeter pulled out of next Tuesday’s game, hit the fourth consecutive single off Shawn Camp to make it 9-4.
Jason Frasor came on with the bases loaded to fan Hafner on four pitches, dropping the slugger to 0 for 7 lifetime against the reliever.
“That was a great spot to hit in,” Hafner said, adding that he felt the energy from the crowd, which stood and cheered during his at-bat. “He just made some really good pitches.”
Travis Buck, however, lined a two-run double before Frasor got two outs to leave runners on second and third. Cleveland went 6 for 22 with runners in scoring position overall.
Edwin Encarnacion had four hits for the Blue Jays, who won for the fourth time in 12 games.
Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the second. One run scored on a groundout by Snider. Talbot struck out J.P. Arencibia, then yielded a two-run single to Davis.
Cleveland made it 3-2 in the bottom half when third baseman Jose Bautista’s throwing error opened the door. Jack Hannahan had an RBI single, the first of his three hits. Michael Brantley, who had four hits added an RBI groundout.
Davis had an RBI single and scored from first on Yunel Escobar’s double in the fourth. In the sixth, Davis reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. He also stole third and scored when third baseman Hannahan couldn’t handle the throw from catcher Lou Marson.