Blue Jays at Indians (Game 2)
Edwin Encarnacion is still batting below the Mendoza line, but he warmed up for a meeting against his former teammates by cranking out three home runs in the Cleveland Indians' 12-4 rout of the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. Encarnacion and the Indians look to keep the offense percolating when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday in a make-up doubleheader.
Encarnacion swatted 193 homers in five seasons with Toronto prior to belting 38 last year for Cleveland, which is only 4-5 entering the final day of its 11-game homestand. "We've all seen how hot he can get," said Indians manager Terry Francona of Encarnacion, "where he can kind of put you on his shoulders a little bit." Toronto came up short in a bid for a sweep in Minnesota, dropping the series finale to snap a three-game winning streak in which it scored seven runs in each of the victories. Kevin Pillar had a pair of hits in Wednesday's 4-0 loss and is 11-for-24 with three homers, five doubles a triple and six RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak.
TV: 4:40 p.m. ET, Sportsnet1 (Toronto), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Joe Biagini (0-0, 4.76 ERA) vs. Indians RH Adam Plutko (NR)
Biagino, who will be recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to make Thursday's start, also was summoned from the minors to pitch the nightcap of a doubleheader against Kansas City on April 17. He turned in a credible performance, working 5 2/3 innings and allowing three runs on six hits and three walks in a no-decision. Biagini posted a 3-13 record with a 5.34 ERA in 44 appearances last season, including 18 starts.
Plutko has made only two appearances in the majors, both in relief late in September 2016. He dealt with a hip injury that eventually required surgery last year but is coming off the best performance of his career, throwing 7 2/3 innings of perfect ball at Triple-A Columbus before he was removed. Plutko served up three homers in his previous outing and is 3-2 with a 2.35 ERA in five starts for the Clippers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson (shoulder), on the disabled list since April 10, is expected to be activated Thursday.
2. Indians SS Francisco Lindor was 8-for-16 with a homer and six RBIs in three games versus Texas.
3. Blue Jays LF Curtis Granderson was 0-for-9 with seven strikeouts in the three-game set at Minnesota.