Indians 4, Blue Jays 2
TORONTO -- Jerry Sands singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the seventh, Danny Salazar pitched seven innings and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Monday.
The victory in the opener of the three-game series gave Cleveland (64-66) a six-game winning streak, and the Blue Jays (74-57) had their winning streak end at three games.
The Blue Jays finished August with a 21-6 record.
Salazar (12-7), the Indians right-hander, struck out 10 and held the Blue Jays to six hits, one walk and two runs.
Blue Jays left-hander David Price (13-5) allowed six hits, one walk and three runs in seven innings to take his first loss in six starts with the Blue Jays.
Bryan Shaw replaced Salazar for the eighth inning.
The right-hander allowed a two-out single to right fielder Jose Bautista and that brought designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who extended his major-league-best hit streak to 26 games with a sixth-inning single, to the plate.
The Indians went to right-hander Cody Allen, their closer. Encarnacion doubled to left to send Bautista to third. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was walked intentionally. Justin Smoak, who entered the game as a defensive replacement at first base in the seventh, struck out to leave the bases loaded.
Allen stayed in the game for the ninth and earned his 28th save. He allowed one-out singles to center fielder Kevin Pillar and second baseman Ryan Goins. After left fielder Ben Revere fouled out to third, third baseman Josh Donaldson struck out to end the game.
The Indians had taken the lead in the seventh. First baseman Carlos Santana walked with one out and designated hitter Ryan Raburn doubled to right-center to tie the game and took third on the throw home. Sands, the right fielder, gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead with a two-out single to left.
The Indians added a run in the ninth against right-hander LaTroy Hawkins on singles by catcher Yan Gomes and pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall. Donaldson was charged with an error on his throw to third that allowed Gomes to score.
The Indians scored in the first inning after second baseman Jason Kipnis led off with his 37th double of the season.
Goins unsuccessfully tried for the out at third after fielding a grounder from Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor. Kipnis scored when left fielder Michael Brantley bounced to Goins to start a double play.
Salazar allowed a walk to Donaldson in the first but also struck out three. The first hit he allowed was an infield single to Revere with two outs in the third.
Santana extended his hitting streak to eight games when he singled in the fourth.
Goins extended his hitting streak to a career-best 10 games when he singled with two outs in the fifth. Revere followed with his second infield hit of the game to move Goins to second, and Donaldson scored both with his first triple of the season to put Toronto up 2-1.
NOTES: Mark Shapiro is stepping down as Indians president to become the Blue Jays' president, effective at the end of the season, both teams announced Monday. Current Blue Jays president Paul Beeston is retiring at the end of the season. ... Blue Jays LF Ben Revere was in the leadoff spot and SS Troy Tulowitzki, who had been batting first, hit fifth for the second game in a row on Monday. ... The Blue Jays are expected to call up four or five players when rosters expand Tuesday. ... The Indians will activate INF Chris Johnson (left index finger infection) and RHP Gavin Floyd (right elbow fracture) from the disabled list Tuesday. ... RHP Shawn Armstrong will join the Indians from Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday. ... RHP Cody Anderson (2-3, 4.30 ERA) will start for Cleveland on Tuesday against Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (11-8, 3.19).