Blue Jays 5 - 4 Guardians
Final
  for this game

Blue Jays score three times in ninth, hold off Indians

Jul 11, 2013 - 6:05 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Munenori Kawasaki doubled with the bases loaded, on a play that produced three runs in the ninth inning, as the Toronto Blue Jays held on for a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Kawasaki's hit to left-center knocked in Colby Rasmus and J.P. Arencibia before Michael Bourn's fielding error allowed Emilio Bonifacio to score as well. This sequence broke a 2-2 tie.

"Great ballgame, it really was," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We took the lead, they came back and it got pretty hairy at the end, but there were a lot of good things tonight."

Toronto reliever Neil Wagner (2-3) was credited with the win after striking out Cleveland pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.

Cleveland scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, but with men on second and third, Steve Delabar retired Michael Brantley on a fly ball to center to end the game. Delabar recorded his first career save.

Rich Hill (0-1) absorbed the loss after giving up a walk to Rasmus, who later scored in the ninth. Cleveland has lost six of its last eight.

Justin Masterson started the game for the Indians and appeared to be out of gas in the sixth inning after throwing 120 pitches and surrendering a two-run single to Bonifacio. The right-hander did not give up a hit until Rasmus led off the fifth inning with a double. He then gave up three more hits with five walks and six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

"He probably was a little bit tired," Cleveland manager Terry Francona admitted of Masterson. "About the last six, seven pitches, and we needed just one grounder or something, and we couldn't get it.

Esmil Rogers only allowed one run on four hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in a solid six innings for the Blue Jays. The right-hander only gave up one hit after running into trouble in the second inning.

Michael Bourn went 3-for-5, stole a base, and crossed home plate twice for the Indians.

With two outs in the ninth, Joe Smith entered from the bullpen, but gave up a single to Arencibia. Bonifacio was walked to fill the bases. Kawasaki then singled sharply to left-center field. Bourn bobbled, and by the time the relay throw came home, Bonifacio scored standing up for a 5-2 margin. Kawasaki broke an 0-for-18 slump.

Casey Janssen got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Bourn singled, advanced to second on indifference and scored on Cabrera's single up the middle. Cabrera also was given a clear path to second and then to third after Jason Kipnis walked. Kawasaki's throwing error made it a one-run margin before Delabar closed the contest.

Giambi brought Brantley home on a single up the middle in the bottom of the second.

Bonifacio singled in two runs in the seventh. Reliever Preston Guilmet made his MLB debut in the same inning for Cleveland where he struck out Kawasaki with runners on second and third to end the frame.

Brantley hit an RBI single past shortstop Jose Reyes to score Bourn from third to tie the game for Cleveland in the eighth.

Game Notes

Delabar leads AL Final Vote balloting for the All-Star team. Rogers has only allowed one hit since yielding the run in the second. Voting ends Thursday afternoon ... Masterson made his 200th career appearance ... Cleveland left 10 men on base ... The Indians will call up righty Danny Salazar to make his major league debut in Thursday's series finale. R.A. Dickey gets the start for Toronto.






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