Price Loses For First Time With Jays As Indians Win 4-2
IAN HARRISON, Associated Press
TORONTO (AP) — Six starts into his tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays, David Price tasted defeat for the first time.
It came against an opponent he's seldom had any trouble with.
Jerry Sands singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, Salazar struck out 10 and the Cleveland Indians won their sixth straight game, beating the Blue Jays 4-2 on Monday night.
Price came in with a 9-1 record and 2.04 ERA in 12 career starts against Cleveland, but lost for the first time since joining the Blue Jays on the eve of the trade deadline. It was his first loss in 12 career starts at Rogers Centre, where he is now 8-1.
Still, manager John Gibbons had no problem with Price's performance.
"I thought he was great," Gibbons said. "He's seen a lot of those guys from his time in Detroit."
Price (13-5) struck out nine, allowing three runs and six hits in seven innings.
"He's a proven ace and one of the top pitchers in the game," Cleveland DH Ryan Raburn said. "For us to pull a win out on him, it's a little easier to try and get a few more wins (in the series)."
Salazar, who was scratched from a start last Friday due to illness, pitched even better than Price. Salazar (12-7) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, reaching double digits in strikeouts for the fifth time this season and the first time since fanning 10 against Baltimore on June 6.
"He's one of the best in baseball," Gibbons said of Salazar. "That's no secret."
Bryan Shaw got two outs in the eighth and Cody Allen finished for his 28th save.
Raburn doubled home the tying run as the Indians matched their longest winning streak of the season and halted Toronto's run at four.
Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion, who was named AL player of the week after batting .391 (9 for 23) with six home runs and 17 RBIs, extended his hitting streak to 26 games with a leadoff single in the sixth. Encarnacion's streak is the longest in the majors this season, and baseball's longest since a 28-game run by Colorado's Nolan Arenado in 2014.
Encarnacion finished 2 for 4. He had two streaks stopped at eight games: having at least one extra base hit and one RBI in each.
Cleveland's Jason Kipnis hit a leadoff double in the first, moved to third on a fielder's choice and scored when Michael Brantley grounded into a double play.
Toronto responded with a two-out rally in the fifth. Ryan Goins and Ben Revere singled and both runners scored on Josh Donaldson's triple. Donaldson leads baseball with 108 RBIs.
The Indians reclaimed the lead in the seventh. Carlos Santana walked and tied it on Raburn's double, with Raburn taking third on Goins' relay to the plate. One out later, Sands grounded an RBI single through the left side.
Toronto threatened in the eighth but left the bases loaded. Jose Bautista singled, Encarnacion singled and Troy Tulowitzki was intentionally walked to bring up Justin Smoak, who struck out on Allen's 2-2 curveball.
"We made a run at them and couldn't get that big hit," Gibbons said.
Cleveland made it 4-2 in the ninth when Yan Gomes scored on Donaldson's throwing error.
Hitting with men at first and second in the ninth, Donaldson struck out on a checked swing for the game's final out.
JAYS HIRE SHAPIRO
The Indians and Blue Jays met on the same day that Toronto announced it will hire longtime Cleveland executive Mark Shapiro as its next team president. Shapiro, who has been with the Indians since 1992, will join the Blue Jays at the end of the 2015 season. He replaces Paul Beeston, who is retiring. Team owner Rogers Communications said it would "love" to extend the contract of GM Alex Anthopoulos, whose current deal expires Oct. 31. A Rogers spokesperson said talks on an extension for Anthopoulos are underway.
QUITE THE PAIR
Encarnacion and Donaldson both had 35 RBIs in August, the first teammates to do that since Bobby Doerr and Ted Williams with the 1950 Boston Red Sox.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: Francona said RHP Gavin Floyd (elbow) and INF Chris Johnson (left index finger) would be activated off the DL when rosters expand Tuesday. Cleveland also intends to recall RHP Shawn Armstrong from Triple-A Columbus.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Cody Anderson (2-3, 4.30 ERA) is winless in five starts. He's the third rookie starter the Blue Jays have faced in their past five games.
Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (11-8, 3.19 ERA) has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 11 of his past 13 starts.
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