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Buehrle (4-0) leads Jays over Indians

Apr 19, 2014 - 10:12 PM Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Dioner Navarro drove in three runs to back another stellar start from Mark Buehrle, as the Toronto Blue Jays blanked the Cleveland Indians, 5-0, on Saturday in the middle portion of a three-game set from Progressive Field.

Buehrle (4-0) spun seven-plus scoreless innings, surrendering just four hits and three walks while striking out three to remain unbeaten on the season. The veteran left-hander has given up just two runs in four starts this year.

"He's just locked in right now," Toronto manager John Gibbons said of Buehrle. "One thing about Buehrle is he pitches to win. He doesn't pitch for stats. You get guys in this game who pitch for stats, he pitches to win and you need more guys like that."

Jose Bautista added an RBI and two runs scored and Jose Reyes, who'd been on the disabled list since aggravating a left hamstring injury on Opening Day, also knocked in a run for the Jays, who had lost two straight before claiming Friday's series opener.

Cleveland starter Corey Kluber (1-2) yielded all five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits and three walks over 6 2/3 frames to absorb his first home loss since May 31, 2013 against Detroit.

Asdrubal Cabrera recorded one of the four hits for the Indians, who have lost three straight and seven of their last nine games overall.

"You just can't fall into the frustration and letting that affect you," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of his team's recent struggles. "It's easy in this game (to get frustrated) and we're going to have to fight through that."

The Jays jumped on Kluber in the first inning, as Melky Cabrera scorched a one-out triple off the base of the wall in right-center field before Bautista followed with a towering fly ball into shallow right field that first baseman Nick Swisher failed to get under, allowing Cabrera to race home for a 1-0 lead.

Bautista moved to second on a passed ball and alertly hustled to third on an Edwin Encarnacion groundout before scoring when Navarro ripped a hot shot to first that bounced off Swisher and trickled into the outfield for a single.

Reyes' two-out single scored Brett Lawrie in the second to make it 3-0 before Toronto tacked on two more runs in the seventh to end Kluber's outing.

The Cleveland right-hander retired Reyes and Cabrera to start the seventh, but issued a free pass to Bautista before serving up Encarnacion's double off the left-field wall. Navarro followed with a line-drive single to left-center to plate both runners for a 5-0 lead.

The Indians finally chased Buehrle in the eighth after putting the first two men on, but Esmil Rogers took over and retired the next three hitters in order to escape the eighth before working around a two-out walk in the ninth to complete the shutout.

Game Notes

The Indians were shut out for the first time this season ... Four of Toronto's five runs were scored with two outs ... Kluber was 6-0 over his last 11 starts at Progressive Field prior to Saturday's loss ... Prior to the game, Toronto activated Reyes from the 15-day DL, placed first baseman Adam Lind on the 15- day DL, selected the contract of infielder Juan Francisco from Triple-A Buffalo, optioned infielder Munenori Kawasaki to Buffalo and transferred infielder Maicer Izturis from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Francisco went 1-for-3 with a walk in the win ... Cleveland has been held to four runs or less in 14 of their last 16 games against Toronto.