Grady Sizemore hits 2 homers, knocks in 5 runs to help Indians rout skidding Blue Jays 12-0
Associated Press | May 10, 08 9:16 PM CDT in
Sports
Grady Sizemore homered twice and drove in five runs, Aaron Laffey pitched seven sharp innings and the Cleveland Indians routed Toronto 12-0 Saturday night to hand the Blue Jays their fourth straight loss.
Sizemore had three hits, including a leadoff homer to start a six-run first inning against Dustin McGowan (2-3). Sizemore added a three-run shot in the fifth off Jason Frasor to make it 12-0. Both came on 3-2 pitches and gave Sizemore his second career multihomer game. He has six home runs this year.
Cleveland won for the fourth time in five games and defeated the Blue Jays for the ninth straight time at home. Before the game, Toronto learned star center fielder Vernon Wells is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks with a broken left wrist.
Laffey (1-2) made his third strong start since being recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on April 28. The left-hander allowed six hits, struck out two and walked one as he lowered his ERA to 1.83.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the seventh, but shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera preserved the shutout with a lunging backhand catch of a line drive off the bat of Jorge Velandia.
Sizemore homered to open a game for the second time this year and 13th time in his career.
Cleveland had scored only eight first-inning runs in 35 games before sending 10 men to bat and getting six runs, five hits, a walk and sacrifice fly. McGowan also hit Travis Hafner with a pitch, and Brad Wilkerson's error in right field enabled two runners to advance a base during the rally.
Victor Martinez had an RBI single and Ben Francisco's sacrifice fly made it 3-0. With two outs, Cabrera broke a 1-for-25 slump by slapping a two-run single to left. Casey Blake's RBI single gave Cleveland a 6-0 lead.
Wilkerson played right field as Alex Rios moved to center in place of Wells. The two-time All-Star was placed on the 15-day disabled list after he was injured making a diving catch Friday night.
Cabrera and Blake singled to start the Indians' fourth. Sizemore doubled home Cabrera and two outs later, Martinez lined a two-run double to right, making it 9-0.
McGowan gave up nine hits and nine runs over 3 2-3 innings and fell to 5-13 on the road in his career. He became the first Blue Jays starter to fail to work six innings in 15 games _ since he lasted only four innings April 24 against Tampa Bay.
The right-hander had allowed only one run and eight hits over 14 2-3 innings in his previous two starts.
Notes:@ McGowan is 0-2 with an 11.85 ERA in three career starts against Cleveland. ... Martinez went 2-for-3 off McGowan and is 7-for-9 with six RBIs against him. ... Cleveland RHPs Joe Borowski (triceps) and Jake Westbrook (back) threw off the mound Saturday. Borowski, whose 45 saves last season led the AL, has been out since April 15. He could throw a simulated game next week, which would be followed by a minor league rehab assignment. Manager Eric Wedge said he hopes Westbrook, sidelined since April 22, can rejoin the rotation by the end of May.
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