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 The Toronto Blue Jays second baseman was among the doubters. With
good reason. He had never hit a game-ending blast in his life.
"I'll tell you what's not in my mind, and it's walk-off homer,"
Goins said.
And yet he connected for one in the bottom of the 10th inning. Goins
belted a hanging breaking ball from right-hander Bryan Shaw for a
two-run shot that gave the Blue Jays a 5-3 win over the Cleveland
Indians.
"It's unbelievable," said Goins who extended his hitting streak to a
career-best 11 games. "I can't even put it into words. It's the best
feeling in my career so far. I'd be lying if I didn't say I blacked
out. I don't even know what happened.
"First one in my life. Never hit a walk-off homer in college or
Little League or anything. I've had walk-off hits, but never a
walk-off homer."
Shaw said, "Breaking ball that just stayed up. You hang a breaking
ball like that, no matter what hitter it is in the lineup, they can
hit it out."
Goins, better known for his glove, also made a spectacular catch
after a long run on a foul ball hit by right fielder Lonnie
Chisenhall in the second inning.
"That foul ball he got today and the range he showed on that," Blue
Jays manager John Gibbons said, "and he's smoking hot with the bat.
He's got such a good approach at the plate right now, he's cut down
on his swing."
Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes tied the game 3-3 with his second homer
in the game with one out in the ninth against right-hander Roberto
Osuna.
The first homer of the night by the former Blue Jay tied the game
2-2 in the seventh.
"He took two gorgeous swings, just driving the ball to that part of
the ballpark (right-center)," Indians manager Terry Francona said.
"It changed the game twice for us, let us keep playing."
The Blue Jays (75-57) ended the Indians' six-game winning streak and
set up a rubber match in the three-game series Wednesday.
Both starters did not factor in the decision.
Toronto right-hander Marco Estrada allowed five hits, one walk and
two runs and struck out two in seven innings. Indians right-hander
Cody Anderson allowed three hits, two walks and two runs while
striking out two in six innings.
"(Gomes) called an amazing game and then backed it up with a couple
of home runs," Anderson said. "That's incredible. He played a great
game."
Left fielder Michael Brantley also homered for the Indians (64-67).
Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion took a 26-game hitting
streak into the game and appeared to have a chance to extend it in
the sixth, but shortstop Francisco Lindor went down to spear his low
line drive. Encarnacion finished the game 0-for-2 with a walk and a
sacrifice fly to end the streak.
Right-hander Ryan Webb took over from Anderson, a 24-year-old making
his 10th major league start, in the home seventh.
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Webb walked first baseman Justin Smoak, and Dalton Pompey entered as
a pinch runner. Pompey, just recalled from Triple-A Buffalo, stole
second with one out and center fielder Kevin Pillar at the plate,
then stole third. He scored on Pillar's sacrifice fly, Toronto's
third of the game, to give Toronto a 3-2 lead.
Center fielder Abraham Almonte followed Gomes' homer in the ninth
with a triple, but Osuna retired the next two hitters.
Toronto left-hander Brett Cecil allowed a one-out double to Lindor
in the 10th. First baseman Carlos Santana was intentionally walked
with two outs, and right-hander Mark Lowe (1-2) entered to face
pinch hitter Jerry Sands, who grounded out to shortstop.
Catcher Dioner Navarro led off the bottom of the 10th with a single
against Shaw (3-3). Ezequiel Carrera ran for Navarro. With one out,
Goins hit his fifth homer of the season.
The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the first on singles by third
baseman Josh Donaldson and right fielder Jose Bautista and a
sacrifice fly to deep center by Encarnacion.
Toronto added to the lead in the third. Goins walked, took third on
a single by left fielder Ben Revere and scored on Bautista's
sacrifice fly to left.
Brantley hit his 12th homer of the season with one out in the
fourth.
NOTES: The Blue Jays recalled INF Munenori Kawasaki, LHP Aaron Loup,
OF Dalton Pompey and RHP Ryan Tepera from Triple-A Buffalo on
Tuesday. ... LHP Jeff Francis had his contract selected from
Buffalo, and LHP Colt Hynes was designated for assignment to make
room for him on the 40-man roster. ... C Josh Thole will rejoin
Toronto on Wednesday after being optioned Friday to rookie-level
Bluefield. ...The Indians activated RHP Gavin Floyd (fractured right
elbow) and INF Chris Johnson (infected left index finger) from the
disabled list and recalled RHP Shawn Armstrong from Triple-A
Columbus for Tuesday's game. ... 3B Josh Donaldson and DH/1B Edwin
Encarnacion each had 35 RBIs in August to share the Blue Jays club
record for RBIs in a month. ... RHP R.A. Dickey (9-10, 4.25 ERA)
will start the series finale for the Blue Jays Wednesday against
Indians RHP Trevor Bauer (10-10, 4.31 ERA).
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