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 "I actually owed him one," Happ happily declared Tuesday night
after scattering six hits over 8 2/3 innings in the Toronto Blue
Jays' 4-0 interleague win over Cain and the Giants.
Troy Tulowitzki had a hand in all four Toronto runs. He hit a solo
home run and a sacrifice fly, and he added an RBI double, after
which he scored on a Russell Martin single.
The win was the Blue Jays' 14th in their last 21 games against
National League competition, and it evened the all-time series with
the Giants at 9-9.
Happ (5-0) gave up three singles to Giants shortstop Kelby
Tomlinson, including one in the eighth inning when San Francisco put
the potential tying run on base with just one out, down 2-0.
The left-hander then struck out pinch hitter Trevor Brown and got
Denard Span to fly to left field, stranding runners at first and
third.
"He's a pleasure to watch," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
"He's a pitcher now, not a thrower."
 Happ, in his first year with the Blue Jays, got within one out of a
complete game, but he was pulled after giving up a two-out single to
Hunter Pence and a walk to Brandon Belt in the ninth.
"That's disappointing. That would have been a lot of fun," said
Happ, who walked three and struck out five in his 111-pitch effort.
"I'll take that (result), obviously."
Toronto closer Roberto Osuna walked Matt Duffy to load the bases,
then struck out Jarrett Parker to earn his eighth save and second in
two nights.
The Blue Jays opened the three-game series with a 3-1 win Monday
night.
The combined shutout was Happ's first since June 26, 2014, a game in
which he went the first 7 2/3 innings in a 7-0 win over the Chicago
White Sox.
The 33-year-old has now allowed three or fewer runs in 17
consecutive starts, the second-longest active streak in the majors
to the Chicago Cubs' Jake Arrieta's 27.
Happ had to be at his best to get the better of Cain, who pitched
his best game of the season.
"He was good tonight, too," Happ said. "It was good to get that
one." Tulowitzki's homer opened the scoring in the second inning.
It was his sixth of the season, and also his career sixth against
Cain. Toronto increased its lead to 2-0 in the seventh after a
one-out triple by Michael Saunders. He raced home on Tulowitzki's
sacrifice fly to center.
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Cain (0-5) was pulled after eight innings, having allowed two runs
on six hits. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
"I felt like I limited my mistakes," said Cain, who entered the game
with a 7.84 ERA. "This is something to build off of."
Despite the quality start, Cain saw his record fall to 0-5 for the
first time in his career, and he walked off the mound winless for a
14th consecutive start. He is 0-8 in those outings.
It was the fourth time in Cain's seven starts this season that the
Giants supported him with one run or fewer while he was on the
mound.
"He threw the ball great," said Giants catcher Buster Posey, who
went 0-for-4. "I hated to spoil this for all of us, and him, too."
The Blue Jays added two insurance runs in the ninth off Giants
reliever Derek Law.
Tulowitzki doubled home Saunders, who had singled, to make it 3-0.
Martin then followed with his run-scoring hit, scoring Tulowitzki.
Saunders finished with three of Toronto's nine hits. He and
Tulowitzki each scored twice.
The Giants, who lost their third in a row, have scored just three
runs in their past four games, and they haven't scored at all in the
first nine innings of their past three outings.
NOTES: Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ has not thrown a complete game since
Aug. 30, 2010, against St. Louis. ... Happ's ERA fell from 2.50 to
2.05. ... Happ retired Giants C Buster Posey twice with a runner
aboard. Posey is now hitless in his past 18 at-bats. ... The Blue
Jays learned earlier in the day that their second-round pick in
2013, RHP Clinton Hollon of Class A Lansing, was suspended 50 games
for violation of Major League Baseball's drug policy. It was the
second positive test of Hollon's fledgling career.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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