Indians take advantage of mistakes by Blue Jays

Indians 7, Blue Jays 3

TORONTO — Every time Toronto gave Cleveland an opening on Monday, the Indians took advantage, capitalizing on Blue Jays mistakes in the field and on the base paths in a 7-3 victory at Rogers Centre.

The Indians won for the eighth time in their last nine games and beat the Blue Jays in their fifth straight meeting this year.

Mike Clevinger (4-2) pitched seven innings and struck out seven Blue Jays while walking just two on 104 pitches. It was the most pitches Clevinger has thrown since his season debut on April 1 against the Chicago White Sox when he left the game with an upper-back strain that cost him two months on the injured list.

The Blue Jays' troubles started with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second.

Blue Jays shortstop Freddy Galvis missed stepping on second base on a fielder’s choice grounder by Jake Bauers. Jason Kipnis, who had singled to lead off, was initially called out by umpire Fieldin Culbreth, but the ruling was reversed when Indians manager Terry Francona challenged the play. After a Tyler Naquin ground out, Francisco Lindor made Galvis’ error hurt with a two-run single to center.

The Blue Jays ran into another mistake in the bottom of the second when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled down the right-field line and tried to stretch the play into a double. Naquin, hustling into foul territory, made a strong throw to nail the sliding Guerrero at the bag. It was Naquin’s team-leading ninth outfield assist of the season, ranking him second in the American League behind the White Sox's Leury Garcia.

Guerrero’s baserunning blunder cost Toronto dearly as five pitches later Justin Smoak homered to right field, his 16th of the season to trim Cleveland’s lead to 2-1.

Clevinger made two just two mistakes and Toronto hitters made him pay. Smoak’s home run in the second was just the fourth allowed by the righthander this season, but Billy Mckinnie’s two-run shot down the right field line in the fifth trimmed Cleveland’s lead to 4-3.

The Indians answered with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on an RBI triple by Oscar Mercado and a sacrifice fly by Jose Ramirez.

THE CANADIAN PRESS] [FRED THORNHILL/ The Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is out at second base while trying to stretch a single into a double as the Indians’ Francisco Lindor applies the tag during the second inning.