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Blue Jays blank punchless Phillies

Jun 16, 2012 - 5:51 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays used six pitchers to blank the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-0, in the opener of a three-game series.

Drew Hutchison started the game for Toronto, but left after nine pitches due to right elbow soreness. Aaron Laffey took over and pitched 1 1/3 innings.

Carlos Villanueva (2-0) gave up two hits over four frames to pick up the win. Jason Frasor, Darren Oliver and Casey Janssen each pitched one inning.

"Just an outstanding effort on the part of the bullpen tonight," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said.

Yunel Escobar and Brett Lawrie had an RBI apiece for the Blue Jays, who snapped a three-game skid.

Vance Worley (3-3) allowed three runs -- one earned -- on five hits over seven full frames for the Phillies, who had a brief two-game winning streak stopped. He struck out five and walked two.

"That's probably the best I've felt since coming back (from the DL)," remarked Worley. "I got my pitch count up and the ball was doing what I wanted it to do. Unfortunately, things just didn't go our way."

The Blue Jays scored the only run they would need in the third inning. With two outs, Rajai Davis hit a double off the wall in left-center field. Lawrie followed with an RBI double off the wall in right.

Toronto tacked on two more runs in the fourth to build a 3-0 lead. Jose Bautista led off with a single to right. Edwin Encarnacion then hit a grounder to third baseman Mike Fontenot, whose throw to second was way off the mark. Bautista scored on the throwing error and Encarnacion went to third. Escobar's RBI groundout gave the home team a three-run cushion.

The Phillies, who went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, had a great chance to get on the board in the eighth. With Oliver on the mound, Juan Pierre singled. Two outs later, Shane Victorino was hit by a pitch. A double- steal put men on second and third, but Brian Schneider struck out looking.

Game Notes

The Phillies stranded 10...Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz left the game in the sixth inning with a left oblique strain...The Blue Jays went 1-for-7 with RISP and left three men on...Janssen picked up his sixth save of the season...Toronto placed pitcher Kyle Drabek on the 15-day disabled list with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain in right elbow. An MRI exam later Friday showed that Drabek has a torn ligament. To fill the roster spot, the Blue Jays recalled pitcher Brett Cecil from Triple-A Las Vegas.