Lindor swings big bat for Cleveland

TORONTO (CP) — Francisco Lindor had a pair of solo home runs and added a tiebreaking RBI single as Cleveland downed the Toronto Blue Jays 9-4 on Thursday.

Cleveland removed its controversial Chief Wahoo logo for the series opener, taking the caricature of a First Nations man off the left sleeve of its jerseys and wearing hats with a red C on a navy blue field instead.

The team plans to stop using the logo entirely for the 2019 season.

Jason Kipnis added a late three-run bomb for Cleveland (80-60) to back starting pitcher Shane Bieber (9-3), who allowed four runs – three earned – and struck out six in 6 1/3 innings of work.

Relievers Tyler Olson, Alan Cimber, Cody Allen and Dan Otero didn’t allow a run the rest of the way.

Rookie Rowdy Tellez had three doubles and drove in a run in his second career game with Toronto (63-77). Teoscar Hernandez added an RBI double of his own.

Tellez, who made his Blue Jays debut as a pinch hitter on Wednesday night, became the first player to have an extra-base hit in his first three plate appearances since Major League Baseball’s live-ball era began in 1920.

Sam Gaviglio (3-8) threw 4 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays, striking out four but giving up five runs on six hits. Jose Fernandez, Justin Shafer, Danny Barnes, David Paulino and Mark Leiter Jr., came out of the bullpen for Toronto.

Shafer allowed one unearned run in his inning of work, while Leiter gave up a three-run home run in the ninth.