Encarnacion, Donaldson homer, Stroman goes eight
TORONTO 10, ARIZONA 4
PHOENIX — Power hitting is the norm for the Toronto Blue Jays.
When they add a quality pitching performance, the results are impressive.
Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion each hit two-run homers and Marcus Stroman went eight strong innings in the Blue Jays’ 10-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in interleague baseball action Wednesday.
Donaldson’s homer off Patrick Corbin landed in the Chase Field swimming pool in the first inning. Encarnacion’s soaring shot off Daniel Hudson, projected at 471 feet, landed far down the walkway beyond the left seats in the eighth.
“That was the loudest ball I’ve ever witnessed live in a stadium, by far,” Stroman said. “I was under (in the clubhouse) and I ran out and saw where it landed. It was pretty special. He’s the man.”
It was Encarnacion’s 26th home run of the season and ninth in his past eight games at Chase.
“I haven’t seen many like that,” manager John Gibbons said. “He rakes it in this place.”
Stroman (8-4) allowed a run and eight hits to help the Blue Jays sweep the two-game series. He bounced back from a rough outing in Oakland.
“I didn’t command the ball as good in Oakland,” he said. “Spinning pitches were left kind of more middle. I just had more action on my pitches today.”
Darwin Barney tripled in two runs and brought another home with a sacrifice fly for Toronto. Devon Travis had three hits, two of them doubles. It was another power display for Toronto.
“We’ve always that. That’s kind of our trademark and you live and die with that,” Gibbons said. “We’re getting another guy back here Monday (Jose Bautista) that’s pretty good at doing that, too.”
Corbin (4-9) was tagged for six runs, five earned, on nine hits in 5 2-3 innings to fall to 0-7 at home.
But Arizona manager Chip Hale wasn’t all that critical.
Tuffy Gosewisch hit a three-run homer in the ninth for Arizona.
Corbin had thrown only five pitches and Toronto led 2-0.
Bautista (turf toe) made his first rehab start Wednesday night for Class A Dunedin, hitting a homer in his first at bat, and will play three rehab games for Triple-A Buffalo over the weekend. He could rejoin the Blue Jays on Monday.
The Jays have Thursday off and begin a nine-game homestand Friday night with a game against Seattle.