Final
Indians try to take set at Toronto
Jul 14, 2012 - 11:35 AMVideo
Cleveland hopes history will repeat itself in Saturday's middle portion of a three-game series.
Indians starter Justin Masterson held the Blue Jays to five hits through seven scoreless innings in Friday's 1-0 win and also struck out five batters with only one walk. Vinnie Pestano struck out two in a perfect eighth inning and closer Chris Perez finished Toronto off with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 25th save.
"Masterson was impressive," said Indians manager Manny Acta of his starter. "He established his fastball the whole game. I thought he did a magnificent job."
Travis Hafner hit a solo homer and Michael Brantley had three hits for the Indians, who have won five of their last seven games and remained three games behind the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead.
The Indians, who are 6-3 this month, will also visit Tampa Bay for seven games on their current road trip and have won three in a row as the guest.
Ubaldo Jimenez will try to string consecutive wins together when he takes the mound for the Tribe today. Jimenez ended a two-game slide his last time out in a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay on July 7, when he struck out eight and allowed two runs in six innings of work.
Jimenez, who is 8-7 with a 4.50 ERA in 17 starts, opened his first full season with the Indians on April 7 against Toronto and did not record a decision in a 7-4 loss. The hard-throwing right-hander pitched well in that one and allowed just two runs in seven innings. Jimenez is 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in two career starts against the Blue Jays.
Toronto's July swoon continued Friday as the club dropped to 3-6 this month.
Adam Lind had two of the Jays' five hits, while Ricky Romero was on the losing end of a great pitching performance. Romero allowed one run and six hits, including Hafner's homer, struck out six and issued a pair of walks in six innings of work.
"Ricky did a very good job for us with the exception of the one breaking ball that stayed up over the middle to Hafner," admitted Blue Jays manager John Farrell of Romero.
The Blue Jays were shut out for the second time in three games. Third baseman Brett Lawrie went 0-for-4 in his return to the lineup and was scratched from Toronto's final game prior to the All-Star break because of back spasms.
Toronto is last in the AL East at 10 1/2 games off the pace.
Still searching for his victory of the season, Aaron Laffey draws the start for the Blue Jays this afternoon. Laffey is 0-1 with a 2.67 ERA in seven games (3 starts) this season and lost his last outing on July 6 in a 4-2 setback against the Chicago White Sox.
Laffey, a left-hander, has lasted at least six innings in each of his previous three trips to the mound. He will make the first start of his career against the Indians and faced them once in relief, tossing two scoreless innings.
Toronto took two of three from the Tribe earlier in the year.
- CLEVELAND: 9
TORONTO: 11
Final
Jul 14 4:25 PM - Pinch-Hitter Travis Hafner single to left scored Asdrubal Cabrera with two outs. On the play, Jason Kipnis advances to second. Runners on first and second and Carlos Santana due up.
Guardians 9, Blue Jays 11 Top 8, 2 OutsJul 14 4:07 PM - Casey Kotchman none-out, two-run Home Run (9) to right scored Shelley Duncan. Lou Marson due up.
Guardians 8, Blue Jays 11 Top 8, 0 OutsJul 14 3:46 PM - Michael Brantley none-out, two-run Home Run (4) to right scored Carlos Santana. Shelley Duncan due up.
Guardians 6, Blue Jays 11 Top 8, 0 OutsJul 14 3:42 PM - Edwin Encarnacion two-out, solo Home Run 2 (25) to left center. Adam Lind due up.
Guardians 4, Blue Jays 11 Bot 5, 2 OutsJul 14 3:07 PM - Shelley Duncan one-out, two-run Home Run (9) to left scored Michael Brantley. Casey Kotchman due up.
Guardians 4, Blue Jays 10 Top 4, 1 OutJul 14 2:36 PM - Adam Lind single to center scored Brett Lawrie and Jose Bautista with two outs. On the play, Edwin Encarnacion advances to third. Runners on first and third and Yunel Escobar due up.
Guardians 2, Blue Jays 10 Bot 3, 2 OutsJul 14 2:24 PM - Brett Lawrie doubled to right scored J.P. Arencibia with one out. Runner on second and Colby Rasmus due up.
Guardians 2, Blue Jays 8 Bot 3, 1 OutJul 14 2:15 PM - J.P. Arencibia double to right center scored Kelly Johnson with one out. Runner on second and Brett Lawrie due up.
Guardians 2, Blue Jays 7 Bot 3, 1 OutJul 14 2:12 PM - Yunel Escobar none-out, two-run Home Run (6) to left center scored Adam Lind. Kelly Johnson due up.
Guardians 2, Blue Jays 6 Bot 3, 0 OutsJul 14 2:07 PM - Edwin Encarnacion none-out, two-run Home Run (24) to left scored Jose Bautista. Adam Lind due up.
Guardians 2, Blue Jays 4 Bot 3, 0 OutsJul 14 2:04 PM - Casey Kotchman grounded into a double play, short to second to first, scoring Carlos Santana with two outs. Shelley Duncan out at second, Michael Brantley advances to third. Runner on third and Lou Marson due up.
Guardians 2, Blue Jays 2 Top 2, 2 OutsJul 14 1:36 PM - Shelley Duncan was hit-by-pitch, scoring Jose Lopez with none out. Bases loaded and Casey Kotchman due up.
Guardians 1, Blue Jays 2 Top 2, 0 OutsJul 14 1:34 PM - Adam Lind double to right scored Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista with two outs. Runner on second and Yunel Escobar due up.
Guardians 0, Blue Jays 2 Bot 1, 2 OutsJul 14 1:23 PM - CLEVELAND: 0
TORONTO: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jul 14 1:08 PM
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