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Wednesday, Jul. 19 7:05pm ET
Escobar throws a two-hitter at lowly Devil Rays | |||||
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GAME LOG
TORONTO (AP) -- The Toronto Blue Jays can only hope Kelvim Escobar does not doubt himself again. Escobar gave up only two hits in eight innings and Brad Fullmer drove in three runs as the Blue Jays defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-2 Wednesday night. Escobar (7-9) had back-to-back quality starts for the first time since stringing three together in late May and early June. "I have great confidence right now," Escobar said. "I'm just going to keep going like that, stay within my game and trust my stuff." Escobar gave up a single to Miguel Cairo in the third and a two-run homer to Jose Canseco in the fourth. He had been 1-1 with a 59.58 ERA in his two previous starts against Tampa Bay. "Sometimes the good Escobar shows up, sometimes the sub-par Escobar shows up," Toronto catcher Darrin Fletcher said. "When he's ready to go and throwing good stuff he's almost unhittable." The two hits tied a Devil Rays club record for fewest in one game. Escobar struck out eight and walked four. In his previous start, the 24 year-old right-hander allowed just three hits in six innings for his first win in nearly a month. "I'm never going to lose my confidence, but after two good games I know I can pitch," Escobar said. "I just have to be aggressive and challenge the hitter. That's what you have to do when you have the kind of stuff I have." Fullmer's 17th homer, a solo shot in the eighth, gave Toronto a 5-2 lead. The Blue Jays have homered in 18 straight games. Fullmer also had an RBI double in the first and a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Billy Koch pitched the ninth for his 22nd save in 26 opportunities. Albie Lopez (6-7) gave up five runs on nine hits for the Devil Rays, who are 3-14 all-time in Canada, including 2-12 in Toronto. "Albie gave up three runs in the first and then really regrouped and kept us in the ball game," Tampa Bay catcher John Flaherty said. "We ran into a hot pitcher." The only blemish on Escobar's night came in the fourth when he walked Fred McGriff and Canseco followed with his eighth homer. Canseco was activated off the disabled list on Tuesday. "It was just good to be out there. I missed 60 days," said Canseco, whose 439th career homer moved him into 24th place on the all-time list. "It's hard to him them when you're on the disabled list. I've missed so much time. I should be up in the 600 plateau." After Escobar walked Felix Martinez with one out in the eighth, he got Gerald Williams to hit into an inning-ending double play. Carlos Delgado had a two-run double in the first for a 2-0 lead. Fullmer's sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 4-2. Game notesHome plate umpire Ronald Kulpa issued a warning to both teams in the fourth inning after Escobar just missed Steve Cox's head with a pitch. Toronto's Raul Mondesi was nearly hit in the head with a pitch an inning earlier. ... Lopez pitched his second complete game of the season. ... Canseco hit his 40th homer against Toronto. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Tampa Bay Clubhouse Toronto Clubhouse RECAPS Kansas City 10 Cleveland 5
Toronto 5
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