TORONTO 8 SEATTLE 3
Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion reached two milestones in Toronto's 8-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
He broke open the game in the fourth inning by hitting his 40th homer of the season, putting him over the 100-RBI mark for the year. Encarnacion didn't hesitate when asked which number he's most proud of.
"Not many people make it to 100 RBIs so that's the bigger thing for me," he said.
Encarnacion, who became the sixth major leaguer to reach the 100-RBI mark this year, belted a three-run blast off Mariners starter Felix Hernandez (13-8) in the five-run frame. He's the eighth Toronto player to reach the 40-homer plateau, a feat that has been accomplished 11 times in franchise history.
"This is a very good right-handed power hitter," said Jays manager John Farrell. "And he's having one heck of a year for us."
Encarnacion also moved closer to Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton, who led the major leagues with 41 homers entering play Thursday night.
"I knew I could get 30, but not 40," Encarnacion said. "I never thought I could get to 40 home runs but that was part of my work in the off-season and I want to continue to do the same.
"I want to come back next year and try to hit 40 again."
Adam Lind also homered for Toronto (65-77) and Henderson Alvarez (9-12) pitched seven effective innings for the victory. Hernandez lasted just four innings for Seattle (69-75) and tied a career high by giving up seven earned runs.
"That was terrible right there," Hernandez said. "If you throw a ball in the middle of the plate, they're going to hit it. It's on me. I have to do something. The last three starts have been disappointing."
It was Alvarez's 14th quality start of the season.
"He's very happy knowing that he pitched against one of the greatest pitchers and we got a chance to win the game tonight," said a translator for Alvarez.
Relievers Brad Lincoln and Aaron Loup worked an inning apiece as the Blue Jays salvaged the finale of the three-game set in front of 13,756 fans at Rogers Centre. Jeff Mathis tied a career high with four hits as Toronto outhit the Mariners 13-7.
Lind gave Toronto the early lead with a two-run shot - his 10th homer of the year - in the first inning.
Yankees 2, Red Sox 0
BOSTON - Derek Jeter shook off an injury to tie Willie Mays for 10th place on the career hits list, backing Phil Hughes and helping the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Thursday night to maintain a share of the AL East lead.
New York won consecutive games for the first time in a month and kept pace with the Baltimore Orioles, who completed a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with a 3-2, 14-inning win.
Hughes (15-12) retired his first 10 batters and gave up five hits in 7 1 /3 innings.
He struck out seven, walked one and allowed just three runners past first base, ending a streak of seven straight starts in which he allowed home runs.
