Jays bash their way back atop AL East
Comeback after Dickey gives up 5 runs in the first
R.A. Dickey’s teammates weren’t too concerned about the five runs he gave up in the first inning. The way the Toronto Blue Jays have been swinging the bats lately, it hardly mattered.
Edwin Encarnacion went 4-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs, and the Blue Jays completed a thunderous three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday with a 12-5 victory that vaulted them back into first place in the AL East.
“This was probably my favourite win all year,’’ Dickey said. “When I came back to the dugout after that inning, everybody was still upbeat and there was no reason to pout. The guys were encouraging me and saying ‘Hey, we’re going to get them back. Don’t worry.’ And they did.’’
Dickey (8-10) won his fifth straight decision over seven starts, despite allowing five runs and 11 hits in six innings. The knuckleballing right-hander overcame a 39-pitch first in which he gave up an RBI triple by Mike Trout, run-scoring hits by C.J. Cron and rookie Kaleb Cowart, and two sacrifice flies.
“I can’t remember a time in my big league career where I gave up a 5-spot in the first inning,’’ said Dickey, a 13-year veteran with 233 starts to his credit. “I was walking a tightrope and was in danger of getting pulled in my shortest outing ever as a big leaguer. I only walked one, and I kept the ball in the ballpark. And that saved me from it being a much shorter outing.’’
Dickey’s catcher was Josh Thole, who was recalled Sunday from Triple-A Buffalo to catch his knuckleball. They were batterymates numerous times the past two seasons with the blue jays and during the previous three years with the New York Mets.
The Jays’ 16th victory in 19 games, coupled with the Yankees’ 4-3 loss to Cleveland, put Toronto atop the division for the first time since Aug. 13.
The Blue Jays, who lead the majors by far with 670 runs, set a franchise record for a three-game series with 36.
“We came in here smoking hot. We’re on fire right now,’’ manager John Gibbons said.
“The west coast has never been particularly good to us. But everybody in our lineup has been swinging.
“It was a heck of a series. One thing we do is score runs. We’ve been doing it all year.’’
They totalled 48 hits against a vanquished Angels pitching staff that has surrendered 44 runs, 60 hits and 15 walks over their last four games following Jered Weaver’s 1-0 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday.
Garrett Richards (12-10) was charged with nine runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings.
The Blue Jays got back-to-back homers in the fourth inning from
It was a heck of a series. One thing we do is score runs. We’ve been doing it all year.
Jose Bautista (his 29th) and Encarnacion (his 24th). The Blue Jays have homered in 14 straight road games.
The Jays get a day off on Monday before Mark Buehrle (13-6) gets the assignment Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Texas.