Canada's Team: The Toronto Blue Jays (MLB 14 The Show)

[Bluejaysfan65]

Blue Jays Squeeze Past Angels in Series Opener
Reyes Drives in Winning Run in the Bottom of the Eighth

After sweeping the Phillies in a short two game set at home, the Toronto Blue Jays continued their winning ways, taking the series opener against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by a score of 5-4.

Jose Reyes doubled in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning, when he doubled to score Colby Rasmus to give the Blue Jays a lead that they would relinquish.

"I just tried to get something that I could drive and get out of the infield", said Reyes after the game.

R.A. Dickey got knocked around despite picking up the win, surrendering 13 hits and four runs in 7 2/3 innings pitched.

Melky Cabrera homered in the bottom of the sixth inning to get the Jays back to a tie, bringing around Reyes to even the game up at four a piece.

Hank Conger homered twice for the Angels, who fell to 15-19 on the season, and picked up all four of the Angels' RBIs on the night.

The Blue Jays continue the four game set at the Rogers Centre tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch at 1:07 PM ET.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

[Bluejaysfan65]

Blue Jays Use Power Bats to Top Angels
Lind, Rasmus, Encarnacion homer in Win

After getting knocked around by the Phillies for ten runs on fourteen hits in his last start, Drew Hutchison showed that he has put it behind him.

Hutchison bounced back nicely by picking up his third win of the season and tossing 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball. "A lot of people were on to me after the last [start], so I really just wanted to come out and prove my self", said Hutchison in his post game interview.

Hutchison was supported with six runs on the offensive side, courtesy of a Adam Lind solo shot in the third, and two run homers off the bats of Colby Rasmus and Edwin Encarnacion in the second and third innings.

Angels starter Hector Santiago (2-3) was chased from the game after just four innings of work, surrendering five runs on 81 pitches.

The Angels got their lone run of the ballgame in the top of the 8th inning, when designated hitter Chris Iannetta sliced a double into the right field corner to bring around Josh Hamilton for the Angels' only run of the ballgame.

The Blue Jays go for the series win tomorrow afternoon at the Rogers Centre with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 PM ET.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

[Bluejaysfan65]

Angels Shutout Blue Jays Behind Wilson's Gem
C.J. Wilson Goes The Distance Against Blue Jays

Howie Kendrick and Kohl Calhoun went deep for the Angels as they topped the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 in front of a sold out Saturday afternoon crowd at the Rogers Centre.

C.J. Wilson (1-5) picked up his first win of the season, throwing a complete game shutout against a usually offensively potent Toronto lineup. Wilson struck out six, only surrendering four hits.

"Hopefully this can be the turning point to my season. Going out there and finally getting that first win, [it] feels good," said Wilson after the game.

Wilson's opposition, fellow lefty Mark Buehrle (5-3), surrendered five runs on seven hits while only striking out one through 7 2/3 innings of work.

"He [Wilson] really kept us guessing the whole afternoon, [he] mixed up his pitches real well," said slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who had a rare two-strikeout game.

The Angels will look for a series split tomorrow as they take on the Blue Jays in front of what is expected to be another sold out crowd at the Rogers Centre.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

[Bluejaysfan65]

Lefty Losers: Skaggs Shutdown Blue Jays
Angels Pick Up Series Split

One day after getting shutout by left hander C.J. Wilson, the Toronto Blue Jays faired no better against another lefty: Tyler Skaggs.

Skaggs (4-2) went eight innings while surrendering only one run on four hits, and the Angels would proceed to take a split of the lengthy four game series.

Kohl Calhoun and Chris Iannetta both went deep for the Halos, who bumped their record up to 17-20. Josh Hamilton began the scoring in the top of the first inning, when he hit a towering sacrifice fly to Blue Jays left fielder Anthony Gose to score Erick Aybar from third to give the Halos the early 1-0 lead.

One inning later, Calhoun doubled that lead to 2-0 with a solo homer off of Brandon Morrow (2-4), who was coming off one of his best starts of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Blue Jays scored their only run of the game when Colby Rasmus took Skaggs deep to right field, a towering 430 feet homer, but that would be all the Blue Jays offence would be able to muster.

"It felt like we were facing another C.J. Wilson on the mound tonight, he had a good game, gotta give it to the kid," said Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons, who was unavailable for media interviews following the previous game.

The Blue Jays welcome the Cleveland Indians into town as the wrap up their home stand with a three game series against the Tribe before heading down south to Texas to take on the Texas Rangers.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

[Bluejaysfan65]

Blue Jays Recall Lefty Nolin, Option Kratz
Youngster to start against Indians

The Toronto Blue Jays have announced that they have optioned catcher Erik Kratz to Triple-A Buffalo and recalled left handed pitcher Sean Nolin from the Bisons.

Kratz served as the third catcher for the Blue Jays during his early season stint with the club, appearing in 12 games with 19 plate appearances, mainly as a pinch hitter or as the designated hitter. The 33 year old backstop collected two RBIs and hit .375 against left handed pitching, but was the odd man out on the roster.

Nolin, 24, has gone 2-0 for Triple-A Buffalo, pitching to a 0.20 ERA over 44.1 innings for the Bisons. The young lefty struck out 41 batters over that span and accumulated a WHIP of 0.95, the lowest on the Buffalo pitching staff.

When asked about Nolin's role with the team, manager John Gibbons said, "He's just up here for a spot start, since we've had a tough road schedule and most of the pitching staff is dead tired." Gibbons wouldn't rule out the possibility of Nolin staying with the big club, saying, "if he does well and we see the need to, we may keep him with us as a long man or a loogy out of the pen."

Nolin will get the start against the Cleveland Indians, who roll into town to face the Blue Jays, who earned a series split against the Los Angeles Angels.

[Bluejaysfan65]

Blue Jays Walk Off Indians in Series Opener
Cabrera Delivers Walkoff

The Toronto Blue Jays fashionably snapped their mini two game skid in a walk off victory against the Cleveland Indians.

Rookie Sean Nolin impressed in his spot start, going 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs but striking out 9. "I think Sean handled that lineup well tonight. He kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win," praised catcher Dioner Navarro.

It took till the 13th inning until the Blue Jays came out on top, when Melky Cabrera smacked a RBI double down the right field foul line to score Brett Lawrie from first to give Toronto the 7-6 walk off victory.

Jason Kipnis and Ryan Raburn both homered for the Tribe, who had the early lead. The Blue Jays used extra base hits from Juan Francisco, Adam Lind and Edwin Encarnacion to keep them in the game until Cabrera managed to deliver the walk off hit to send everyone home happy.

The Blue Jays continue their three game set against the Tribe tomorrow evening, with first pitch at 7:07 PM ET.

[Bluejaysfan65]

Blue Jays Option Nolin, Promote Lopes to AA
Reimold To Join Club

A day after striking out nine Cleveland Indians in just over six innings, southpaw Sean Nolin finds himself back on a plane and on his way back to Buffalo, where he is expected to join the Triple-A rotation once again.

"I understand, it's a baseball move. I did what I was asked to do, and now they need someone else up there for the next task," said Nolin before he left the Rogers Centre.

To replace Nolin on the roster, the Blue Jays purchased the contract of outfielder Nolan Remould from the Bisons. "We're hoping that he can come up here and help us out a little, give some of these outfielders a rest," said manager John Gibbons when asked about the move.

Outfielder Darin Mastroianni was placed on outright assignment waivers by the club. If he goes through the waiver wire unclaimed, he would continue playing at the Triple-A level with the Buffalo Bisons, but would be removed from the Blue Jays' 40-man roster.

In transaction news at the lower levels of the farm system, highly touted infield prospect Christian Lopes has been promoted from High Class-A Dunedin to Double-A New Hampshire, where he is expected to fill the second base role for the majority of the foreseable future. For complete transactions, head over here.

[Bluejaysfan65]

Blue Jays Walk Off Again
Encarnacion Drives in Winner in the 9th

After walking off the Cleveland Indians in the series opener last night, the Blue Jays weren't done with their walk off antics. Edwin Incarnation delivered the nail in the coffin with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth innings to send the Blue Jays to their second consecutive walk off.

The Indians scored early off of rookie starter Marcus Stroman, getting one run in the top of the third innings, but Stroman settled in nicely, going 7 1/3 innings while striking out seven batters, surrendering his only three hits of the game in the third inning.

Thankfully, the Blue Jays tied it up in the bottom of the fourth, when Adam Lind drilled an opposite field double against the shift, plating Jose Reyes for the Blue Jays' first run of the game.

The two teams remained in a deadlock with Brett Cecil (2-0) coming in for the Blue Jays after Stroman exited the game.

A leadoff single by pinch hitter Anthony Gose, followed by a walk to Jose Reyes set up Melky Cabrera to be the hero once again, but lefty Marc Rzpecynski (1-1) struck out Cabrera before sitting down slugger Jose Bautista, bringing up Edwin Encarnacion with two outs and a man on second. Encarnacion promptly delivered the game winning hit with a single past diving third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall on a hanging slider from Rzepcynski.

The Blue Jays will go for the series sweep against the Indians tomorrow.