CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Blue Jays blew a chance to sweep the Indians.
Toronto reliever Tyler Chapman walked four consecutive Indians with one out in the bottom of the seventh and Jose Ramirez delivered a sacrifice fly to give Cleveland a 6-5 come-from-behind victory and split of the doubleheader.
“They just kept plugging along,” bench coach DeMarlo Hale, who was filling in for manager Terry Francona while he attended a family wedding, said.
It was the fourth walk-off victory of the season for Cleveland and sixth time Ramirez did it in his career.
The Jays took the opener Sunday 4-1 and won a weather shortened 7-inning affair, 11-2 Friday night before blowing Sunday’s finale.
Sam Hentges started for the Indians but the roof quickly caved in on him in the third inning.
With one out, Hentges walked a pair, allowed a single and a pair of doubles that resulted in four runs for the Blue Jays. Teoscar Hernandez cleared the bases with a shot up the alley in right center for a 3-0 lead and Randal Grichuk followed with an RBI double to left ending Hentges afternoon.
His final line: four runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings but the late rally by the Indians got him off the hook.
“I was getting behind in counts and that led to them being able to swing the bat more freely,” Hentges said. “I think that’s what in that third inning led to that big number.”
Jean Carlos Mejia relieved Hentges and got out of the fourth with a groundout and strikeout.
The Indians awoke from their slumber in the sixth and answered with their own four-run rally.
Rene Rivera broke up the shutout with an RBI double after Yu Chang reached on an error by Toronto third baseman Santiago Espinal. Amed Rosario brought home the second run of the inning with an infield single that deflected off starter Steven Matz, ending his afternoon.
Jose Ramirez brought home the third run with an RBI single and Harold Ramirez grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, allowing Rosario to score from third to tie the game at 4.
Marcus Semien singled off Emmanuel Clase to score Jonathan Davis, who walked to lead off the inning, to regain the lead.
Tyler Chatwood’s epic meltdown saw him walk four consecutive Indians – Yu Chang, pinch hitter Bradley Zimmer, Cesar Hernandez and Amed Rosario – with one out to tie the game at 5.
Jordan Romano replaced Chatwood before Ramirez flied to right to score Zimmer from third to win it.
“We’ve got to do it collectively and it’s a positive that these guys had not given up even in those situations where you’re down four, five runs,” Hale said. “They’re still grinding and that’s just a compliment to these players.
“We push as an organization to play the game the right way and compete to the last out so It’s very good and I’m pleased with the effort.”
