Blue Jays 7 - 4 Guardians
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Jays, Indians do it again at Progressive Field

Apr 7, 2012 - 2:35 PM

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(Sports Network) - Two days after the longest Opening Day game in major league history, the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians resume a season-opening three-game set from Progressive Field.

Toronto started its season off on the right foot Wednesday when J.P. Arencibia's three-run homer in the top of the 16th inning propelled it to a 7-4 win.

The 16-inning marathon eclipsed the previous mark of a 15-inning affair between the Indians and the Detroit Tigers on April 19, 1960.

"I know it's day one and we've seen an awful lot in the first game," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "But the one characteristic we had last year was a relentless attitude and we came back a number of times, and today was another example."

Luis Perez (1-0) worked four scoreless innings to earn the victory and new closer Sergio Santos got the final two outs in the bottom of the 16th for Toronto, which rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth inning to send the game to extra innings.

Jack Hannahan cracked a three-run homer and Casey Kotchman collected the other RBI for the Indians, who wasted a terrific outing from starter Justin Masterson. Masterson went eight strong innings and gave up just one run on two hits while fanning 10.

Getting the ball for the Blue Jays this afternoon will be right-hander Brandon Morrow, who some believe is on the verge of a breakout season.

Although, those same people thought that of Morrow last season, but a right forearm injury forced him to start the year on the disabled list and he never appeared to find much comfort on the mound and ended the year 11-11 with a 4.72 ERA.

However, the 27-year-old finished the season strong, as he surrendered just two earned runs over his final 21 innings.

Cleveland, meanwhile, will counter with righty Ubaldo Jimenez, who will try to erase the memory of a sub-par 2011 season.

After an amazing 2010 campaign in Colorado, Jimenez struggled in the first half of 2011 and was eventually traded to the Indians at the trade deadline. His time in Cleveland was nothing special, either, as he went just 4-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 11 starts, a far cry from the 19 wins and 2.88 ERA he flashed the previous season for the Rockies.

Toronto was 4-3 last season versus the Tribe.






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