Phillies slug past Blue Jays for comeback win
TORONTO -- Ken Giles settled into his newly minted role as closer on Tuesday, helping the Phillies seal a 3-2 win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Hours after former closer Jonathan Papelbon was traded to the Nationals, Giles came on to protect a one-run lead and threw a scoreless ninth inning as Philadelphia took the opener of a two-game set. After allowing a leadoff single to Edwin Encarnacion, Giles retired Chris Colabello and Russell Martin on flyouts before Danny Valencia grounded into a forceout to end the game. It was Giles' first save of the season and the second of his career.
"I can't thank him enough for guiding me through the way of the closer," Giles said about Papelbon. "I think I'm going to be a great closer."
• Giles overcomes nerves for save in new role
The Phillies rallied for three runs in the fifth to erase a two-run deficit, driving Blue Jays starter Felix Doubront from the game with four hits in a row, three of them for extra bases. Doubront lasted only four-plus innings, allowing six hits and three runs with two walks and three strikeouts.
Video: PHI@TOR: Blanco puts Phillies ahead with RBI double
Lefty Adam Morgan took the win. Morgan allowed a leadoff homer to Devon Travis and surrendered another run on a pair of hits in the second, but he settled in and allowed only two more baserunners before he was lifted in favor of Jeanmar Gomez when the Phillies took the field for the seventh inning. Morgan tossed six innings and allowed five hits and two runs with two strikeouts and two walks.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Bautista exits in eighth with cramp: Jose Bautista was removed from the game after he grounded out to shortstop to end the eighth inning. The Blue Jays slugger pulled up lame and grabbed at his right hamstring as he ran to first. He said he was experiencing a leg cramp, however, and expected to be back in the lineup for the series finale on Wednesday.
"Just a little cramp. If I would've ran it out, I probably would've strained it, but I think I did the right thing," Bautista said. More >
Video: PHI@TOR: Bautista leaves game with injury
Extra-base power: The Phillies picked up 21 extra-base hits in their weekend sweep of the Cubs, their most in a three-game stretch since 2001.
• Cut4: Howard snuck the ol' 'single off your own leg' trick past everybody
The power continued against the Blue Jays. After Ryan Howard started the fifth inning with a single, which appeared to carom off his leg, Darin Ruf, Cody Asche and Andres Blanco each doubled to hand the Phillies a 3-2 lead.
Video: PHI@TOR: Asche doubles home a pair to tie the game
Travis homers, exits: Travis' place at the top of the Blue Jays' order could be short-lived after he exited in the third inning with left shoulder irritation. The rookie second baseman was in his first game as leadoff man after the Blue Jays dealt Jose Reyes to the Rockies, and he wasted no time making an impact, swatting a leadoff homer to give the Blue Jays an early 1-0 lead. After the game, Travis said he was concerned the injury was similar to the left shoulder strain that sent him to the disabled list back in May.
"I was feeling great, back to normal, 100 percent," Travis said. "I haven't been to the trainer's room other than for wrist tape and eye drops." More >
Video: PHI@TOR: Travis exits game with an injury
Morgan delivers: The Blue Jays have crushed left-handers this season, posting an .832 OPS against them. No other team had as much as a .771 OPS against left-handers. But Morgan handled himself well. After he served up the homer to Travis, he allowed one run in his final five innings to post his third quality start of the season.
"It's challenging to face a lineup of all righties," Morgan said. "I just stuck to my game plan. This is a good hitting lineup, but if you keep the ball down and mix speeds, you give your team a chance to win. I learned pretty quick that anybody in that lineup can hit a home run. Just from then on, I really focused on keeping the ball down and mixing speeds in and out."
Video: PHI@TOR: Morgan holds Blue Jays to two runs over six
HAWKINS DEBUTS
As part of the trade that brought Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto, LaTroy Hawkins immediately made his first appearance with the Blue Jays. Entering in the sixth inning of a one-run game, Hawkins got Maikel Franco and Jeff Francoeur to ground out before striking out Ryan Howard for a perfect frame. More >
Video: PHI@TOR: Hawkins pitches perfect frame
QUOTABLE
"It was hard to mentally prepare myself when I was already as nervous as I was. I think I did an OK job. I think it was the jitters, I was nervous up there. Just getting that first one out of the way, and hopefully the next one and beyond will be a lot smoother." -- Giles, on batting nerves as the team's new closer
Video: PHI@TOR: Giles talks about win, first save of season
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Blue Jays have hit a home run in every game since the All-Star break, a streak of 10 in a row, which matches their season high.
WHAT'S NEXT
Phillies: Right-hander Jerome Williams (3-7, 6.28 ERA) will make his second start since returning from the disabled list with a strained left hamstring in Wednesday's 7:07 p.m. ET finale vs. the Blue Jays. He allowed three runs on six hits, with one walk, two home runs and four strikeouts in six innings Friday in a victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Blue Jays: Tulowitzki will make his anticipated debut with the Blue Jays on Wednesday. The All-Star shortstop was acquired by Toronto on Tuesday, but he didn't make the trip in time for the series opener. More >
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