Toronto, ON – The annual Home Run Derby isn't until July 15. But for fans at Rogers Centre, it felt like it was.
Six different players connected for seven home runs as the Toronto Blue Jays held off the Cleveland Indians, 10-8.
J.P. Arencibia went 3-for-4 with two home runs for the Blue Jays, who avoided a three-game sweep. Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run shot, while Jose Bautista clubbed a two-run blast and Colby Rasmus added a solo shot.
Jose Reyes was walked twice, scored three times and had a stolen base in the victory, Toronto's first of the season.
"I think everyone has an idea was this offense is capable of," said Arencibia. "Two games don't make your season and no one's worried here. Everyone knows what we have in this clubhouse."
Toronto starter Mark Buehrle gave up six runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. Steve Delabar (1-0) got the final two outs of the top of the sixth to pick up the win, while Casey Janssen pitched a flawless ninth to earn the save.
Carlos Santana and Mark Reynolds both hit solo shots and had two RBI for the Indians. Lonnie Chisenhall also knocked in a pair of runs in defeat.
Brett Myers (0-1) allowed seven runs and four of Toronto's homers in five-plus innings.
"Couldn't get the ball down tonight," said Myers. "I was fighting myself to get it down and just couldn't make the adjustment to get it down. The only person at fault here is me and I was working my tail off trying to get it down and just couldn't do it, couldn't execute it."
Nick Swisher plated the game's first run in the first when he hit a two-out ground-rule double to score Jason Kipnis.
In the bottom of the inning, after a leadoff walk by Reyes and a Melky Cabrera ground out, Bautista hit a two-run blast to left to give Toronto a 2-1 lead.
Arencibia hit a leadoff home run in the second on the first pitch to give the Blue Jays a 3-1 advantage.
Santana and Reynolds hit back-to-back two-out solo shots in the fourth, tying the game at 3-3.
In the fifth, Reyes hit a one-out single and stole second. Cabrera walked on a full count. After Bautista lined out to center, Encarnacion delivered a three- run blast on a 2-0 pitch.
Swisher had a leadoff walk and Michael Brantley was hit by a pitch in the sixth. Santana then hit a ground-rule double, scoring both Swisher and Brantley, and the game was tied once again, 6-6.
Arencibia hit another leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning, this time on a 1-1 count, and Myers was promptly replaced by Cody Allen.
However, Allen struggled as well. After striking out Mark DeRosa, he allowed a homer by Rasmus, followed by a double by Emilio Bonifacio. After a fly out by Reyes, Cabrera reached first base on a throwing error by Reynolds, which allowed Bonifacio to reach home.
Reynolds ripped a two-run single in the seventh, scoring Swisher and Santana.
In the eighth, Asdrubal Cabrera had a two-out double, followed by an RBI double by Kipnis. Swisher was walked again and Brantley hit an infield single to load the bases, but Santana grounded out to second to end the inning.
Reyes and Melky Cabrera were both walked with one out in the bottom of the inning. Bautista hit a grounder to shortstop, allowing Reyes to score.
Reynolds struck out on three pitches, Chisenhall grounded out to third, and Drew Stubbs went down swinging against Janssen in the ninth.
Game Notes
The Indians placed pitcher Scott Kazmir on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right ribcage muscle, retroactive to April 2 ... Cleveland was 8- for-17 with runners in scoring position while Toronto was 2-for-7 ... The Indians left 10 runners on base ... Toronto struck out just twice ... The Blue Jays will face the Boston Red Sox and former manager John Farrell on Friday in Toronto.
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