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Indians edge Blue Jays, salvage series

Apr 21, 2014 - 4:41 AM Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - David Murphy clubbed a go-ahead, three-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning to help the Cleveland Indians salvage the finale of a three-game set with a 6-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday at Progressive Field.

Murphy's bases-clearing double gave Cleveland a 5-4 lead and made a winner out of Josh Outman (3-0), who replaced starter Carlos Carrasco with two outs in the sixth and fanned Ryan Goins to end the frame after serving up a single to Josh Thole.

Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen each spun a scoreless inning in relief before John Axford wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to nail down his sixth save of the season.

Nick Swisher added a sacrifice fly in the seventh, while Michael Brantley went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, two RBI and two runs scored for the Tribe, who snapped a three-game skid.

"Hopefully, this is exactly what we need to get on a roll," Murphy said. "We haven't been playing terrible, but we haven't been playing characteristic of ourselves."

Aaron Loup (1-1) absorbed the loss after allowing Murphy's go-ahead double in the sixth. Jose Reyes and Jose Bautista each collected an RBI and a run scored for the Blue Jays, who went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.

"Walks hurt you," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "These guys laid off it pretty good. And of course Murphy ends up getting the big hit there. We made a run at it late, it just didn't happen."

Toronto starter Brandon Morrow struck out six and had a 4-2 lead heading into the sixth before giving up a single to Swisher to start the frame.

Loup then entered from the bullpen and induced a fielder's choice groundout from Jason Kipnis before picking off the Cleveland second baseman for the second out of the inning.

However, Loup lost control from there, issuing three straight walks before Murphy scorched a double down the left-field line to plate all three runners for a 5-4 lead.

The Blue Jays failed to register a hit over the next two frames before loading the bases against Axford in the ninth.

Pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro ripped a one-out single and Melky Cabrera clubbed a two-out base hit before Bautista walked to pack the bags, but Axford escaped unscathed by getting Edwin Encarnacion to ground out to second.

Early on, Brantley laced a solo shot to right with one away in the second to get Cleveland on the board, but Toronto answered with three runs in the fourth to take the lead.

Reyes ripped a leadoff double and Cabrera followed with a single before Bautista's base hit to right scored Reyes to make it 1-1.

After Encarnacion fanned, Juan Francisco singled to plate Cabrera. Brett Lawrie followed with a groundout, scoring Bautista for a 3-1 lead.

Brantley scored Kipnis with a double in the home half to make it 3-2, but Reyes registered an RBI single in the next half-inning to restore Toronto's two-run lead.

Game Notes

Carrasco allowed four runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 frames, while Morrow yielded two runs on three hits and two walks over five-plus innings ... Brantley has 16 RBI this season ... Cabrera recorded his third stolen base of the season.