Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki are out of Friday night’s lineup for the series opener against Cleveland because of injuries.
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With the loss, Tomlin moved to 0-4 with a 10.02 ERA in his last four outings and has allowed 32 home runs this season- the most in the American League.
Marlins (63-59) at Pirates (62-57), 7:05 p.m. ET: David Phelps (6-6, 2.48 ERA) has yet to complete six innings of work since moving from the bullpen to the rotation. You can’t do that because it knocks everyone down a little bit emotionally.
He has lost only one game since April 22.
The San Francisco Giants reclaimed first place in the National League West with an 8-1 rout of the New York Mets, the New York Yankees blanked the Los Angeles Angels 7-0, the Oakland Athletics shut out the Chicago White Sox 9-0 and the St Louis Cardinals edged the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3.
Osuna also gave up a tying homer to Jose Ramirez on Friday, but retired the switch-hitter on a fly ball.
After consecutive nights of wild comebacks and walk-off victories, the Indians (70-51) found some magic in the fourth, still trailing by five against starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez.
“Lonnie’s at-bat was tremendous”, manager Terry Francona said. “He’s kind of slotted into that 6 hole and has given us a lot of production”. “We were sitting pretty good”.
Boston’s Rick Porcello pitched seven innings in his return to Comerica Park and led the Red Sox past Detroit 10-2.
All those chants and cheers from Blue Jays fans that seemed to roll through the stadium for the first eight innings of Friday night’s ballgame came to a halt in the bottom of the ninth.
Ramirez flew out, Chisenhall struck out and Tyler Naquin, the hero from the previous two games, grounded out to end it. The Toronto onslaught include the game-winner by Edwin Encarnacion to start the fifth inning. Toronto’s lead over Boston in the AL East was cut to a half-game.
Tomlin got off to an excellent start this season, but has struggled lately.
He refused to use his brief absence as an excuse.
“It was very disappointing because the offense put up a fight, ties the score and makes it a game”, said Tomlin. “When I step between those lines, it’s all about baseball”.
Even if it’s with good reason, a contender sending a Cy Young contender to the minors past the midway point of August seems a bit weird. “I left a few pitches in the zone and made a few mistakes, that was it”. Naquin went 0-for-4 and fouled a pitch off the side of his lower right leg, but remained in the game.
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Aaron Sanchez didn’t allow a hit through three innings, but Cleveland sent nine men to the plate in the fourth.
