Blue Jays 3 - 4 Guardians
Final
  for this game

Extra innings not required as Indians avoid sweep

Apr 8, 2012 - 8:26 PM

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Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Derek Lowe pitched seven innings in his Cleveland debut and Carlos Santana hit a pair of home runs as the Indians avoided the sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays with a 4-3 victory.

Lowe (1-0), who was acquired from Atlanta in the offseason, gave up two unearned runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout. Santana hit a two-run and solo home run in the win for the Indians, who haven't been swept to start a season since 2009.

Joel Carreno (0-1) took the loss in his first Major League start as he gave up four runs on six hits over six innings for the Blue Jays. Kelly Johnson had two hits and scored twice, while Adam Lind added two hits, an RBI and a run scored.

This game was in stark contrast to the first two games of the series. Thursday's contest went 16 innings, an MLB record for an Opening Day contest, while Saturday's contest lasted 12 innings.

Cleveland took the lead in the first at-bat of the second when Santana hit a pitch over the wall in center. Later in the inning, Jack Hannahan singled home Casey Kotchman for a 2-0 lead.

Toronto tied the contest in the top of the fourth. Johnson beat out an infield single to start the inning and Lind later reached base on an error from Hannahan. Edwin Encarnacion followed with a run scoring double and Brett Lawrie's sacrifice fly made it a 2-2 game.

Santana, though, was at it again in the fifth inning. With two outs, Shin-Soo Choo kept the inning alive with a single and Santana followed by drilling a pitch over the right field wall for a 4-2 lead.

Lowe allowed a baserunner in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but escaped every time without allowing a run.

The Blue Jays, though, did get one back in the eighth off of Joe Smith. With one out, Johnson and Jose Bautista each singled and Lind followed with a single to make it a 4-3 game.

Vinnie Pestano then took the mound and struck out Encarnacion and Lawrie to end the frame.

Chris Perez came on in the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Eric Thames, but then got Colby Rasmus to fly out. Ben Francisco reached base on an error and, after Yunel Escobar struck out, Johnson walked to load the bases. Perez, though, got Jose Bautista to pop out near the mound for his first save of the season.

Game Notes

Toronto hosts the Red Sox for three games starting on Monday...Cleveland welcomes Chicago for three games beginning on Monday...Toronto hasn't won three straight to start a season since 1996...Lowe improved to 7-9 over 42 appearances (11 starts) against the Blue Jays in his career...Toronto had won five straight against the Indians.






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