Nelson Cruz hit a grand slam off a struggling R.A. Dickey, then added a three-run shot off Drew Storen as the Seattle Mariners overpowered the Toronto Blue Jays for a 14-5 victory on Saturday. To the moving pictures. Justin Smoak hit his 11th homer of the season in the eighth, a two-run shot against LeBlanc, who pitched the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season.
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Trevor Brown hit an opposite-field double to right off Anthony Swarzak (1-1) leading off the 12th, and Williamson singled up the middle with one out, just past the glove of diving shortstop Didi Gregorius. The right-hander recorded just two outs in the sixth inning, allowing five runs on six hits including a home run to Kyle Seager. He is expected to miss at least two games. “I was staying on top of the ball”.
In Houston, Evan Gattis had two home runs and four RBIs in his return to the lineup, and Collin McHugh threw six strong innings.
Two runs were on Michael Saunders solo home runs (1 in the sixth, 1 in the 8th), both against lefties.
“I know he and (pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr.) have been working on a couple of things and it certainly was evident tonight with his ability to spin it”, manager Scott Servais said of Paxton.
Royals 3, Rangers 1: Danny Duffy scattered four hits while pitching into the seventh inning, and Kansas City scratched out three runs off Texas’ Yu Darvish.
“Not much offence, really, but Paxton was that good”, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
Unbeaten since June 22 at Detroit, he is 5-0 with a 2.50 ERA in his past five outings and 10-2 in 12 starts since May 20. The Blue Jays offence couldn’t figure out Seattle’s James Paxton, though.
It was the eighth career multi-homer game for Saunders, who also went deep on Friday night.
Saunders, who also connected in Friday’s 2-1 loss, matched his career high with 19.
In Milwaukee, Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit two home runs, and Zach Davies took a shutout into the seventh inning.
Dickey left after the first four batters reached safely in the fourth. “Cishek made some good pitches and ended up striking me out”.
Darwin Barney struck out, but Josh Donaldson lined a double into the left-center gap that moved Thole to third.
Robinson Cano hit what should have been a double-play grounder to short, but second baseman Devon Travis mishandled the ball on the exchange, and the Blue Jays settled for a force at second.
The fourth inning went single, walk, single (not really a single, a line drive that Troy Tulowitzki had in and out of his glove, on a ball that would have been an easy double play, Dickey could have used the help) and that was it for Dickey.
A’s rookie Sean Manaea struck out seven and didn’t give up a walk in eight innings. Iwakuma has won five consecutive starts.
Blue Jays 1B Chris Colabello has been reinstated from the restricted list after serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Colabello was designated off the 25-man Toronto roster Saturday, but was kept on the 40-man roster.
Toronto activated LHP Franklin Morales (shoulder) off the 60-day DL and optioned LHP Aaron Loup and INF Andy Burns to Triple-A Buffalo.
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NOTES: Seattle recalled LHP David Rollins from Triple-A Tacoma after placing SS Ketel Marte (mononucleosis) on the disabled list. The Mariners are 0-5 in Wade Miley’s last 5 starts. This ties Saunders with his career high set in 2012 with Seattle.
