Blue Jays 7 - 1 Marlins
Final
  for this game

Jays beat slumping Marlins in grand fashion

Jun 24, 2012 - 5:25 AM

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Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Colby Rasmus hit a grand slam in a six-run ninth inning, as Toronto rallied past Miami, 7-1, in the middle test of a three-game interleague set.

Edwin Encarnacion hit the go-ahead homer in the ninth and scored twice for the Blue Jays, who have already won the series and have taken six of eight overall.

"We're going through a stretch where we're getting a lot of production from the bottom of the order," said Blue Jays manager John Farrell. "Because we're in interleague play, there's been an understanding that they have to produce more, manufacture runs down there."

Brett Cecil scattered five hits and one run over six-plus solid innings, but Darren Oliver (2-2) tossed a scoreless eighth for the win.

Omar Infante's RBI double was the lone strike for the Marlins, who have lost 15 of their last 17.

Josh Johnson gave up one run on two hits and a pair of walks over seven full frames, fanning seven. He was undone by Steve Cishek (4-1), who was charged with four runs -- one earned -- in 1 1/3 relief innings.

"It just seems like we keep finding different ways to lose," mused Johnson. "That's what it comes down to."

Encarnacion cleared the wall in left to start the ninth to put the visitors back up by a 2-1 count. Kelly Johnson singled, went to second on a sacrifice, then Rajai Davis was given a free pass and both moved up on a balk. Jeff Mathis laid down a bunt on an obvious squeeze but Cishek mishandled it for an error, causing Johnson to score for a 3-1 game.

Edward Mujica was called on, and forced pinch-hitter Omar Vizquel into a fielder's choice grounder after Mathis moved up on defensive indifference, and Brett Lawrie was plunked to load the bases ahead of Rasmus' blast off the facing of the second deck in right.

Casey Janssen then turned in a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the victory.

"We should be embarrassed by how we played. We just waited for something bad to happen," groused Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen. "Every move we make it seems like it's a bad execution."

Encarnacion started the second with a walk and Johnson followed with a base on balls. Both moved up on a Yunel Escobar sacrifice bunt, then Encarnacion beat a throw home on a Davis bunt back to the mound.

Johnson held Toronto hitless until the fifth, but two singles failed to produce another run for the visitors and Justin Ruggiano saved the day with a diving grab in center of a Lawrie fly for the final out.

Miami finally broke through in the seventh, as Ruggiano reached on a bunt single then Infante brought him home with a double.

Game Notes

Toronto improved to 6-17 all-time against the Marlins, and upped their road mark against the franchise to 4-7...Rasmus hit his third career grand slam...Ruggiano improved his June average to .359 with 10 extra-base hits.






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