Toronto 7, Cleveland 4
When: 3:05 PM ET, Thursday, April 5, 2012
Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
Temperature:
44°
Umpires:
Home -
Tim Welke, 1B -
Mark Carlson, 2B -
Mike Everitt, 3B -
Paul Schrieber
Attendance:
43190
By SportsDirect Inc.
Blue Jays 7, Indians 4: J.P. Arencibia rocked a three-run home run in the top of the 16th inning as visiting Toronto won the longest opening day game in MLB history.
Arencibia took a 1-2 pitch from Jairo Asencio over the left field fence to give the Blue Jays a 6-2 record on opening day since 2005. Cleveland lost its fourth straight season opener.
Toronto, down three runs in the ninth, rallied on a sacrifice fly from Jose Bautista and a two-RBI double from Edwin Encarnacion to knot the score at 4-4 and force extra innings.
Bautista, who made his 10th career start at first base, went 3-for-4 with two walks and two RBIs. The reigning home run king got Toronto on the board with a towering solo shot in the sixth inning.
Justin Masterson put a poor spring season behind him, striking out 10 batters with the majority of those hitters falling victim to his sinking fastball. He allowed just two hits and walked only one, but a blown save from Chris Perez in the ninth left Masterson with a no-decision.
Cleveland scored all four of its runs in the second inning. Following an RBI single from Casey Kotchman, Jack Hannahan took a 2-2 pitch from Ricky Romero deep with runners at the corners.
Romero settled down after the second inning and finished the game allowing four runs on three hits, walking three and striking out four batters in five innings. The Blue Jays bullpen was superb in relief, giving up just four hits. Luis Perez got the win, allowing just three walks over four innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: 43,190 was the largest opening-day crowd ever at Progressive Field. … Bautista is 5-for-10 with two HRs all-time vs. Masterson. … Masterson threw 66 of his 99 pitches for strikes. … Arencibia has hit a home run in all three of his season debuts.
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
| Toronto
|
10 |
2 |
19 |
.179 |
19 |
16 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
| Cleveland
|
7 |
1 |
12 |
.143 |
21 |
12 |
4 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
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