|
 Even if his head did hurt a little.
Saunders drove in a run in the first inning, gave one back in the
sixth and provided a blooper-reel highlight when he got hit in the
head with a foul flyball, all during the Blue Jays' win in the
opener of a three-game interleague series.
"He's a hard-headed Canadian," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said
of Saunders. "It might have knocked down an American. Not a
Canadian."
A festive postgame scene followed a tense game in which Aaron
Sanchez limited the Giants to one run over seven innings, Edwin
Encarnacion belted a two-run home run, and Toronto relievers Gavin
Floyd and Robert Osuna combined for two game-ending shutout innings,
helping the Blue Jays prevail in their first meeting with the Giants
since 2013.
"Great ballgame tonight," Gibbons sized up. "Sanchez led the way."
The 23-year-old won his third consecutive start, lowering his ERA to
2.58 in the process. He's been even better (0.96 ERA) on the road.
 Sanchez (3-1) allowed just three hits in his seven innings, but did
walk a season-high five. He struck out five.
He benefitted from Saunders' RBI single in the first inning and
Encarnacion's homer in the third, giving him an early 3-0 cushion.
"That's huge," he assured. "If you go out there and get runs on the
board, you don't have to be perfect. There's a little less pressure
when you've got a lead."
Encarnacion's homer, his sixth of the season, was his 34th in
interleague play since 2010, tying teammate Jose Bautista for the
most in the majors.
Bautista was aboard via a walk for Encarnacion's two-run blast,
which increased the Toronto lead from 1-0 to 3-0 in the third
inning.
The homer was Encarnacion's 203rd as a Blue Jay, tying Joe Carter
for fourth place on the franchise's all-time list.
"Eddie's had a great career here," Gibbons assessed. "Eddie doesn't
talk a whole lot. He just goes about hitting."
The homer completed the Blue Jays' scoring against Giants starter
Jake Peavy (1-4), who pitched five innings.
Three Giants relievers combined for four innings of shutout ball,
allowing two hits, to keep the game within reach.
Saunders' RBI single came before the night turned a bit comical for
the Blue Jays' left fielder.
First, he lost Brandon Belt's sixth-inning line drive in the lights,
turning it into a double that advanced Matt Duffy to third base.
The Giants scored their only run of the night one batter later on
Hunter Pence's infield out.
"I feel bad for Sanchie," Saunders insisted. "It cost him an earned
run."
The next batter, Crawford, sliced a flyball toward the Giants
bullpen down the left-field line.
Saunders seemed to have a routine play, but he tripped over the
bullpen mound and, as he was stumbling, the ball hit him in the head
and bounced away.
"I have to laugh at the consecutive way it happened," Saunders said
of his adventure. "I guess the one that hit me in the head is kinda
funny.
[to top of second column] |
"I'm sure I'm not the first to trip on the mound down there. And I'm
sure I won't be the last."
Sanchez was able to retire Crawford on a fly to center, retaining a
3-1 lead.
"We got a break there," Giants manager Bruce Bochy noted. "These
last three days, we're just not hitting."
Encarnacion had two hits for the Blue Jays, who were kicking off a
six-game trip. His home run was the first for Toronto in its last
three games.
Catcher Trevor Brown, replacing Buster Posey, had two of the Giants'
four hits.
Posey, who was being rested, grounded out as a pinch-hitter
representing the potential tying run to end the game.
Peavy, who brought a 9.00 ERA into the game, struggled through five
innings, but managed to keep the Giants in the game, down just 3-0.
He limited the Blue Jays to three runs despite allowing five hits,
including the homer to Encarnacion, five walks and two wild pitches.
He struck out six and threw 112 pitches.
"He battled," Bochy praised. "We get a big hit here or there and
it's a different ballgame."
The Blue Jays staked Sanchez to a 1-0 lead before he took the mound,
and it could have been more.
After Toronto loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first
on walks to Josh Donaldson and Encarnacion that sandwiched a single
by Bautista, Saunders lined a single to right field that put the
Blue Jays on the board.
But even though Pence was in the process of throwing the ball toward
second base, conceding a second run, Blue Jays third base coach Luis
Rivera held Bautista at third, leaving the bases loaded.
Peavy then struck out Troy Tulowitzki and got Russell Martin to
ground out, avoiding further damage.
NOTES: Giants RHP Jake Peavy suffered his first home loss since July
8, 2015. ... The Giants (13-7) and Blue Jays (12-8) were two of
MLB's most successful teams in interleague play in 2015. ...
Tuesday's pairing of Giants RHP Matt Cain and Blue Jays LHP J.A.
Happ is a rematch of Cain's perfect game against Houston on June 13,
2012. Four years later, Cain seeks to snap a 13-game winless streak.
... San Francisco recalled OF Jarrett Parker from Triple-A
Sacramento and returned OF Mac Williamson. Parker flied out as a
pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. ... Blue Jays LHP Brett Cecil
stayed behind in Toronto to attend the birth of his second child and
was placed on the paternity list. His daughter, Braelynn, was born
Monday. Cecil is expected back Friday in Texas. RHP Ryan Tepera, who
was demoted Friday, was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to replace
Cecil.
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