Solarte lifts Jays to wild win
CLEVELAND• Blue Jays infielder Y anger vis Solar te had one of those games where his manager wanted to hug him and strangle him in equal measure.
That is until the 11th inning, when the hugging part definitely won out.
With the bases loaded and two out, Solarte smashed a grand slam — the first of his career — to lead the Jays to a wild 13-11 victory over the Cleveland Indians in a game that started with a one hour and 53 minute rain delay and ended four hours and 47 minutes later. It was the first of a scheduled doubleheader at Progressive Stadium.
Solarte hit a homer, a double and three singles, recorded six RBI, picked up a walk and also committed an error in the bottom of the eighth to allow the Indians to tie the game 9-9. Michael Brantley smacked a sharply hit ball to Solarte at first base that the infielder let sail past his glove, scoring Jose Ramirez. Solarte started the game at second, but was shifted to first when Steve Pearce left the game in the sixth. Solarte also was thrown out at second trying to turn a long single into a double in the 10th inning and did face-plant into the dirt near third base in the third, resulting in an ugly gash over his mouth. But the end, he looked beautiful to his manager John Gibbons and his teammates. The five hits and six RBI were single game career highs for Solarte.
The Indians added two runs in the bottom of the 11th off closer Roberto Osuna.
Toronto starter Jaime Garcia cruised through the first three innings and had a 5-0 lead, but hit the wall in the fourth when he gave up six runs on seven hits including a three-run homer run by short stop Francisco Lindor. Garcia wasn’t helped by his teammates in the frame. Right fielder Teoscar Hernandez continued his habit of allowing catchable balls to fall for a base hit in shallow right, this time on a fly ball by Edwin Encarnacion. Instead of one out and Brantley at first, the Encarnacion blooper put Garcia behind the eight ball with two on and none out. Brantley and Encarnacion eventually scored. Later in the inning, Garcia struck out Erik Gonzalez on a wild pitch but the Indians second baseman made it to first and eventually scored when Russell Martin allowed the pitch to get behind him, though it was a very tough play to make for the Toronto catcher. It was the third straight start that Garcia has allowed four runs or more in under six innings.
After Garcia was pulled for reliever Danny Barnes, the Indians scored another run when Encarnacion hit a single off the left field wall. The seven runs was the most scored by the Indians in one inning this season and the second time the Jays have given up seven in an inning this year — the first on April 21 in New York.
Martin and Josh Donaldson, in his first game back after being activated from the DL, hit home runs for the Jays. Donaldson had three hits and three RBI on the day. Lindor hit a second homer in the bottom of the eighth to bring the Indians to within 9-8. It was the second time in Lindor’s career that he homered from each side of the plate.
Martin’s homer flew just over the fence in centre with Solarte on board in the second inning to give the Jays a 2-0 lead. The Toronto catcher seems to be finding his swing. He also hit a homer on Monday in Minnesota to break a 12-game homer-less streak.
Donaldson hit a two-strike double down the left field line in the fourth to score Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from second, making the score 3-0 Toronto. The next hitter, Solarte, smacked a single to right to bring in Donaldson and Curtis Granderson, who recorded three walks and a single in the contest.
Donaldson’s home run, coming right after Cleveland manager Terry Francona pulled starter Carlos Carrasco for reliever Nick Goody in the sixth, travelled an estimated 392 feet in the sixth.
Toronto took a 8-7 lead in the seventh when Gurriel hit a single, on a full count, to left to score Kevin Pillar from third. Gurriel had three hits and a walk.