Mon, Jul 04, 2016 page12

• Blue Jays end Indians’ winning streak

  CONTENTIOUS CALL: A replay review overturned an out call on Ezequiel Carrera, which Cleveland manager Terry Francona said was shocking, as it was inconclusive

  • AP, TORONTO
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  Cleveland’s franchise-record 14-game winning streak was on Saturday stopped by a big day for Toronto’s sluggers and a contentious replay call.

  Initially called out at home during Toronto’s three-run eighth inning, Ezequiel Carrera was ruled safe after a replay review, as the Blue Jays beat the Indians 9-6, despite a cycle by Rajai Davis.

  Indians manager Terry Francona said he was “shocked” the call on Carrera was overturned.

  

  The Toronto Blue Jays’ Ezequiel Carrera slides into home and scores as the Cleveland Indians’ Chris Gimenez attempts to tag him in the eighth inning of their MLB game in Toronto on Saturday.

  Photo: Frank Gunn, The Canadian Press via AP

  “They keep telling us it has to be conclusive,” Francona said. “I will look forward to an explanation that I understand. As of now, from what I’ve seen, I don’t know how they did that.”

  Toronto star Josh Donaldson hit a tying solo shot off Dan Otero in the seventh and then made it 7-6 with an RBI single in the eighth. Michael Saunders added a two-run double and Roberto Osuna pitched the ninth for his 16th save.

  “They were fortunate enough to throw the last punch and that was the outcome of the game,” Cleveland reliever Tommy Hunter said.

  Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki also homered for Toronto, who lost 2-1 in 19 innings on Friday, matching the longest game in Blue Jays history. Jason Grilli (2-2) pitched one inning for the win.

  Davis became the eighth player in Cleveland history to hit for the cycle. He led off the game with a homer, tripled home a run in the third, doubled and scored in the seventh and singled in the ninth.

  “That was very impressive,” Francona said.

  “He’s been such a spark for us in so many ways,” he added.

  Carlos Santana also homered for Cleveland, who lost for the first time since a 9-4 defeat at Kansas City on June 15. They had won eight straight on the road.

  Carrera drew a one-out walk off Otero (2-1) in the eighth and went to second on a base hit by Devon Travis. Hunter came on to face Donaldson, who hit a single into shallow center.

  Carrera had to hold up to make sure the ball dropped and was called out by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. Toronto challenged the call and Carrera was ruled safe after the review.

  “I definitely thought I had him in the leg,” Indians catcher Chris Gimenez said.

  “The explanation they gave us was his arm got in there before I tagged him. I don’t necessarily think that was the case,” he said.

  Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said his team “caught a break” by getting the call overturned.

  “We liked what we saw, but you never know for sure,” he said.

  Battling a sore back, Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada allowed three runs and five hits in five innings, failing to extend his major league-record stretch of 12 starts of six innings pitched with no more than five hits allowed.

  “I don’t know if I can do this again,” Estrada said. “If it hurts as much as it did today, I’m probably going to have to watch the next game.”

  Cleveland, who used Saturday’s scheduled starter Trevor Bauer for the final five innings on Friday, recalled left-hander Shawn Morimando from Double-A Akron and designated utility man Michael Martinez for assignment.

  Morimando pitched 3-2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits.

  Cleveland lost for the third time in 33 games when scoring at least six runs.

  The last player to hit for the cycle against Toronto was Hall of Famer George Brett, who did it on July 25, 1990.
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