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Leake shuts down Blue Jays, as Reds offense explodes

Jun 22, 2014 - 7:49 AM Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - The Cincinnati Reds squandered an eight- run lead on Friday night en route to a loss in the opener of their three-game set with Toronto. They wouldn't make the same mistakes on Saturday.

Mike Leake (5-6) allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts over eight solid innings to help the Reds avenge a tough loss with an 11-1 rout of the Blue Jays.

"What (Leake) did today by staying in the game for eight innings and giving us a chance to win the game, was save our bullpen," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "It was hopefully something that will pay dividends tomorrow."

Cincinnati led 8-0 after two innings on Friday before the Jays stormed back, scoring 11 runs in the final four innings to take a 14-9 win.

Each of the Reds' first seven hitters contributed an RBI, with Jay Bruce and Devin Mesoraco homering to help the Cincinnati snap a two-game skid.

J.A. Happ (6-4) was roughed up for eight runs -- seven earned -- over four innings of work for the Blue Jays, who have lost four of their last five.

The Reds jumped out of the gate thanks to some wildness from Happ, who walked Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Bruce to load the bases with two outs in the first.

Ryan Ludwick followed with an RBI single that scored Votto and Phillips, then a wild pitch from Happ allowed Bruce to scamper home and give the Reds a 3-0 lead.

Bruce increased the lead with a solo blast to right in the third inning, and Cincinnati opened it up with a four-run fourth.

After a Mesoraco strikeout, Ramon Santiago, Leake and Billy Hamilton all connected on singles, with Hamilton's knock plating Santiago. Todd Frazier drove in Leake with a sacrifice fly to center before Votto and Phillips each provided run-scoring doubles for an 8-0 advantage.

Colby Rasmus got the Blue Jays on the board with a solo shot to right to begin the seventh inning.

The Reds, though, added three more runs in the home half of the seventh on Mesoraco's 12th homer of the season that scored Bruce and Ludwick.

Game Notes

The loss for Happ snapped a four-start winning streak on the road .... Bruce scored three times ... Hamilton stole his 31st base of the season. He ranks second in all of baseball behind Los Angeles' Dee Gordon (38) ... Eight of nine Reds had a hit and scored a run, with Frazier being the only player to not reach base ... Toronto went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.