Brianna McLaughlin, a member of the U.S. women's Olympic silver medal hockey team, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the Cleveland Indians played the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game, Friday, April 18, 2014, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
April 18, 2014 - 7:44 PM
CLEVELAND - Melky Cabrera had four hits and scored Toronto's go-ahead run in the seventh inning on Edwin Encarnacion's single, and the Blue Jays held on for a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.
The Blue Jays trailed 2-1 in the seventh before Munenori Kawasaki hit an RBI single off reliever Marc Rzepczynski (0-1) and Encarnacion delivered against Cody Allen.
Steve Delabar (1-0), one of three Toronto relievers to combine for eight walks in the eighth inning in a loss at Minnesota on Thursday, got the win in relief of starter Drew Hutchison.
Sergio Santos worked a very shaky ninth for his fifth save, one night after his three wild pitches in the eighth-inning debacle allowed the Twins to score three runs. Santos loaded the bases before retiring Michael Brantley on a hard grounder to first for the final out.
Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who have dropped six of eight.
Cabrera got his first three hits off starter Justin Masterson, improving to 15 for 27 against the right-hander.
Down 2-1, the Blue Jays scored twice in the seventh to take the lead and chase Masterson.
Ryan Goins walked with one out and manager Terry Francona pulled Masterson, who allowed six hits, struck out nine and remained without a decision in four starts. Cabrera followed with a single off Rzepczynski, and Kawasaki tied it with his single.
Allen came on to face Jose Bautista, and catcher Yan Gomes' throwing error moved up the runners. Bautista was then walked intentionally and Encarnacion hammered his single to centre, putting the Blue Jays ahead 3-2.
Santana busted out of a long slump with his homer in the sixth off Hutchison to give the Indians a 2-1 lead.
Santana was in a 1-for-30 slide before he connected off Hutchison, who took a shutout into the sixth with nine strikeouts. Santana had been hitless in his previous 11 at-bats.
Hutchison cruised into the fifth before the Indians finally got to the right-hander. Jason Kipnis beat out an infield single and Santana drove a 3-2 pitch to right for his first homer since Sept. 28.
Toronto pushed across a run in the fourth off Masterson, who had escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third.
Colby Rasmus doubled off the wall in centre with one out and moved to third on Masterson's wild pitch. Brett Lawrie followed with a tapper toward third that Santana charged but was unable to grab with his bare hand as Rasmus scored.
NOTES: Bautista has reached safely in all 17 games. ... Cabrera has 11 four-hit games. With a chance to get his fifth hit, he grounded out in the ninth. ... Indians DH Jason Giambi is scheduled to come off the 15-day disabled list Monday. He's been sidelined all season with a broken rib. Giambi is ready now, but the Indians wanted to wait and the 43-year-old was OK with the plan. "Every manager should have the luxury of having 'G' once," Francona said. "Unfortunately, no other manager is going to, because he's going to stick with us. I've been around a lot of good players, but man, he gets it. He just wants to help." ... Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes is expected to come off the DL on Saturday. He's been out since straining his hamstring during his first at-bat this season. ... Blue Jays DH Adam Lind missed his third straight game with a sore back and could be headed to the DL.
News from © The Associated Press, 2014