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 He enjoyed watching the Blue Jays put up six runs on their way to an
11-3 win over the Miami Marlins to extend Toronto's season-best
winning streak to six games.
"You want to get used to it," Estrada said. "It's a great thing. Our
offense is one of the best out there. That one inning when we scored
a bunch, they were asking me if I wanted to go inside and throw a
little more because you kind of sit for a while and you tie up a
little bit, but I was fine.
"It's awesome watching these guys swing the bat, it's impressive."
The Blue Jays (29-30) scored their six first-inning runs against
left-hander Brad Hand (1-2), who allowed six hits and lasted just
two-thirds of an inning.
"I just left too many pitches up," Hand said. "They came out
swinging and I left too many pitches up and couldn't get out of the
first. You never want to do that to start a series, wear out the
bullpen."
Meanwhile, Estrada (3-3) allowed seven hits, no walks and three runs
while striking out six in seven innings to win his second straight
start.
Designated hitter Josh Donaldson had a homer and three runs batted
in and first baseman Chris Colabello extended his career-best hit
streak to 18 games.
"We came out and swung the bats," said Blue Jays bench coach DeMarlo
Hale, who was filling in for manager John Gibbons, who was ejected
in the second inning on his 53rd birthday. "A six-run first inning
that's always comforting. It sets the tone. Estrada did a good job."
Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton homered for the Marlins (24-34).
Stanton had three hits. He doubled in the sixth and scored on a
single by center fielder Marcell Ozuna to cut the lead to 8-3 and
doubled in the eighth.
The Blue Jays scored three runs in the seventh, with left fielder
Ezequiel Carrera hitting an RBI double and Donaldson hitting a
two-run single against right-hander Vin Mazzaro.
By then, the game was pretty well settled because of the Blue Jays'
big first inning.
Shortstop Jose Reyes and right fielder Jose Bautista singled and hit
an RBI single.
After catcher Russell Martin walked, third baseman Danny Valencia
hit a two-run double and center fielder Kevin Pillar hit a two-run
single. Second baseman Munenori Kawasaki hit an RBI double with two
outs to knock Hand out of the game as right-hander Andre Rienzo
finished the inning.
"Tough hole to get out of," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "Brad
centered a lot of fastballs and it's a good fastball hitting club.
They jumped on him. We created a tough hole for us to dig out. ...
Luckily it's game one of the series and we've got two more to play.
Hopefully we will bounce back from that."
Donaldson led off the second with his 16th homer of the season.
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Gibbons was ejected in the second inning after Bautista struck out
on a checked swing.
Stanton hit his 19th homer of the season in the fourth after third
baseman Martin Prado's leadoff single to cut the lead to 7-2.
The Blue Jays added a run in the fifth. Martin and Pillar walked.
Carrera's grounder forced Pillar at second. Carrera stole second,
and Martin scored on the resulting throwing error by catcher J.T.
Realmuto.
"I think all parts of the game help," Hale said of the winning
streak. "No doubt, we've been pitching the ball better, the offense
continues to swing the bats and we've played pretty good defense.
When you have those phases working, you can have a six-game win
streak. Hopefully we can get on a roll and extend it.
It was the first game between the teams since they made a huge deal
on Nov. 19, 2012.
The Marlins sent Reyes, left-hander Mark Buehrle, right-hander Josh
Johnson, infielder Emilio Bonifacio, and catcher John Buck to the
Blue Jays.
Going the other way were catcher Jeff Mathis, shortstops Adeiny
Hechavarria and Yunel Escobar, right-handers Henderson Alvarez and
Anthony DeSclafani, left-hander Justin Nicolino and outfielder Jake
Marisnick to the Marlins.
NOTES: 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion (sore left shoulder) was out of the
Blue Jays' lineup for the second straight game after taking a
cortisone shot Saturday. He could return Tuesday. ... The Marlins
put RHP Bryan Morris (lower back strain) on the 15-day disabled list
retroactive to Sunday and recalled LHP Adam Conley from Triple-A New
Orleans. In 10 starts at New Orleans, Conley was 5-2 with a 3.05
ERA. ... The series is the first meeting between the teams since
June 22-24, 2012, when the Blue Jays took two of three at Marlins
Park. ... The Marlins last visited Rogers Centre in 2009, when they
swept a three-game series. ... RHP Dan Haren (6-2, 3.18 ERA) will
start Tuesday for the Marlins in the middle game of the three-game
series against Blue Jays LHP Mark Buehrle (7-4, 4.35).
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
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