Martin's 5 RBIs help Blue Jays rout Indians
TORONTO -- Russell Martin had five RBIs, Troy Tulowitzki added four RBIs, left-hander J.A. Happ struck out a season-best 11 in seven innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Cleveland Indians 17-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Happ (11-3) allowed five hits and one run to win his fifth straight start and give the Blue Jays a split in the four-game series after Cleveland won the first two games.
Martin and Tulowitzki each had three-run homers and Justin Smoak had a two-run shot for the Blue Jays.
Chris Gimenez, who had entered the game in the sixth inning at third base, moved to the mound in the seventh inning for the Indians.
Gimenez, normally a catcher who also pitched an inning in 2014, had a perfect seventh before allowing four hits and four runs in the eighth.
Gimenez was the third position player to pitch in the series. Infielders Ryan Goins and Darwin Barney pitched an inning each for the Blue Jays in the Indians' 2-1 win in 19 innings on Friday.
Cleveland starter Corey Kluber (8-8) allowed five runs in 3 1/3 innings on seven hits that included Martin's three-run homer in the first inning and four walks (one intentional). The right-hander struck out four.
Martin's seventh homer of the season also scored Josh Donaldson, who had single, and Michael Saunders, who had doubled.
The Blue Jays (45-39) added two runs in the fourth that began with a walk to Ezequiel Carrera and followed by Donaldson's single that put runners at the corners.
Carrera scooted home on Edwin Encarnacion's sacrifice fly to shortstop Francisco Lindor, who battled the sun in making the catch.
Encarnacion was playing after appealing a one-day suspension for bumping umpire Vic Carapazza after being ejected following a strikeout in the first inning on Friday.
Saunders doubled and Joba Chamberlain replaced Kluber.
Martin was intentionally walked and Tulowitzki hit a sacrifice fly to right, increasing the lead to 5-0.
Happ retired 11 batters in a row between a first-inning double by Jason Kipnis and a fifth-inning double by Carlos Santana.
The Blue Jays scored a season-high eight runs in the sixth inning, three on the 14th homer of the season by Tulowitzki. Carrera, Donaldson. Saunders and Martin added RBI singles and Encarnacion had an RBI double in the inning.
Left-hander Tom Gorzelanny allowed four hits, three walks and seven runs in the inning, retiring only one batter before Tommy Hunter finished the inning after allowing three hits and a run.
Santana, Jose Ramirez and Yan Gomes singled in the seventh to produce a run for Cleveland (49-32).
In the eighth, Gimenez allowed an RBI double to Encarnacion, who drove in three run in the game, an RBI single to Martin and a two-run homer to Smoak, his ninth of the season.
Left-hander Aaron Loup pitched a perfect ninth for Toronto.
NOTES: Indians 3B Juan Uribe (right hand) was scratched from the lineup Sunday and replaced by INF/OF Jose Ramirez. Uribe was hit in the hand by a pitch in the sixth inning Saturday. ... Cleveland activated OF Abraham Almonte from the restricted list Sunday after he completed an 80-day suspension for violating baseball's drug policy. OF Michael Brantley (right shoulder inflammation) was moved to the 60-day disabled list. ... The Indians optioned LHP Shawn Morimando to Triple-A Columbus Sunday after he pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief Saturday. He was called up from Double-A Akron for the game Saturday. ... Cleveland returns home Monday and will start RHP Danny Salazar (10-3, 2.22 ERA) against Detroit Tigers LHP Daniel Norris (1-0, 4.09 ERA). ... Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez (8-1, 3.08 ERA) will face Kansas City Royals RHP Edinson Volquez (7-7, 4.80 ERA) on Monday at Rogers Centre.