Jays, Cubs, Pirates, Phils earn sweeps

“We can definitely get our swag back”. “Our offense has gotten cold right now and our offense has been spectacular all year and put us, along with our pitching, in the position we’re in”. Marco Estrada (9-6) pitches for the Blue Jays against Masahiro Tanaka (8-4). Boosted by some big acquisitions before the July 31 trade deadline, the streaking Blue Jays have won 11 of 12 to pull within 1½ games of the first-place Yankees.

“(The) whole series, starters and relievers were outstanding”, Bautista said. Turns out, it was a trio of splendid pitching performances that closed the gap in the AL East. “It seems more attainable”. Price, in his 15 innings, allowed just one earned run, six hits, and five walks while fanning 18 batters. “There’s not time for panic for us”. We just struggled this weekend for whatever reason. “We haven’t done anything yet but excite our fans”.

But this day was no fun at all.

Estrada kept New York’s risky lineup off balance all day. A walk to Beltran and a single by Chase Headley in the 7th.

The Cleveland Indians trounced the Minnesota Twins 8-1 after Corey Kluber pitched a three-hitter for his third complete game of the season, while Tampa Bay rookie Richie Shaffer hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning as the Rays again rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat the New York Mets 4-3. “It’s been a tough spot for us”. We know if we can get a few runs up on the board….

Donaldson, who had been named player of the week twice previously, had at least one hit and one run in every game last week, when Toronto went 7-0 and closed to within a game and a half of the Yankees for the AL East lead.

Or maybe this is simply a baseball-style market correction of sorts, after Joe Girardi’s ballclub sledgehammered its way to 90 runs in 10 games. And before their latest slump, which has seen them shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since 1999 and was embodied by the Nos.

Will that become the norm?

Tanaka said through a translator he was “good to go”.

“The season’s never a straight line”, he said. Then in the top of the fourth, Bautista homered to left. This week’s series with the Athletics will also be among the cheapest games in Toronto.

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was not happy about the situation.

The Yankees lead the Blue Jays by 11/2 games (three in the loss column) after being swept over the weekend.

Injured Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman, who is taking summer courses at Duke University, posted a photo on Twitter to show he was watching the game despite being in class. Stroman had the game on his phone, which he hid behind his laptop screen. Encarnacion’s middle finger has been bothering him for a while, and he aggravated it on a swing Saturday. He said right now he expects it to be someone currently on the staff, making RHP Bryan Mitchell and perhaps Warren the most likely candidates.

Buzz surrounding this year’s edition of the Blue Jays is hitting a fever pitch after the club announced the additions of all-stars Troy Tulowitzki and David Price on the trade deadline.

Almonte’s home run was the 28th allowed this season by Phil Hughes, a major league high.