Blue Jays 12, Rangers 2

[May 06, 2016]  TORONTO -- Edwin Encarnacion drove in a season-best six runs, J.A. Happ pitched seven innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Texas Rangers 12-2 for their third win in a row Thursday night,

Encarnacion hit a three-run double on the first pitch he saw from Rangers left-hander Derek Holland (3-2) in the five-run first inning for a three-run double.

Encarnacion also hit the first pitch from Holland for a three-run home run in the third

Holland (3-2) allowed 11 hits, three walks (one intentional) and 11 runs in 2 2/3 innings.

His string of 16 1/3 scoreless innings at Rogers Centre did not survive the first inning.

Encarnacion also hit a double in the sixth inning against left-hander Cesar Ramos who pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings after replacing Holland in the six-run third.

Kevin Pillar added three hits and two RBIs for the Blue Jays (15-15) who dropped the opener of the four-game series before winning the next three from the Rangers (15-14).

Prince Fielder had two hits and one RBI for the Rangers while Nomar Mazara added two hits.

Happ (4-0) allowed six hits, one walk and one run in seven innings. He struck out five.

Left-hander Chad Girodo, who was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo Tuesday, replaced Happ for the eighth inning and pitched around an error.

The Blue Jays added a run in the eighth inning against right-hander Phil Klein when a single by Justin Smoak followed two walks.

Right-hander Ryan Tepera pitched the ninth for the Blue Jays and allowed three straight two-out singles and one run. Bryan Holaday had the RBI hit.

The Rangers scored once in the first on a one-out single by Mazara, a fielder's choice grounder to third by Adrian Beltre, a wild pitch, and an RBI single by Fielder.

The Blue Jays came back with five runs in the bottom of the first, three on a bases-loaded double by Encarnacion.

The first-pitch drive to center scored Kevin Pillar and Josh Donaldson, who singled, and Jose Bautista, who walked.

Russell Martin, Darwin Barney and Ezequiel Carrera followed with singles that produced two more runs.

The Blue Jays added six runs in the third, including three on the fifth homer of the season by Encarnacion.

Pillar hit a two-run double, Donaldson was intentionally walked and Bautista had an RBI on a fielder's choice grounder to third to set up Encarnacion's homer to left on the first pitch.

NOTES: Toronto CF Kevin Pillar batted leadoff for LF Michael Saunders, who did not start. Saunders was 0-for-11 in his career against Texas LHP Derek Holland. OF Ezequiel Carrera started in left field. Pillar began the season batting leadoff. He was dropped in the order after 12 games. Saunders has 13 starts as leadoff hitter. ...Rangers OF Josh Hamilton (left knee) will not resume his minor-league rehabilitation assignment Friday, the first day he would be eligible. He felt discomfort in the knee on Saturday in the first game of his rehab assignment and it was stopped. ... Rangers LHP Cole Hamels (3-0, 3.30 ERA) will face Tigers RHP Jordan Zimmerman (5-0, 0.55) on Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park. ... Toronto RHP Marcus Stroman (4-0, 3.77) will face Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda on Friday to open a three-game series at Rogers Centre.

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.