MLB
  Scores
  Schedules
  Standings
  Statistics
  Transactions
  Injuries: AL | NL
  Players
  Weekly Lineup
  Message Board
  Minor Leagues
  MLB Stat Search

Clubhouses

Sport Sections
  Sunday, Jun. 4 4:05pm ET
Escobar strikes out season-high 10
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

MIAMI (AP) -- Kelvim Escobar couldn't find the plate in warmups Sunday. Once the game started, though, it was the Florida Marlins who had trouble locating his pitches.

Escobar struck out a season-high 10 in his third career complete game as the Toronto Blue Jays beat Florida 7-2 to snap a three-game losing streak.

"When he's throwing strikes, he's about unbeatable," said teammate Carlos Delgado, who hit his 20th home run to stake Escobar to a 3-0 lead before he even took the mound. "He's got the talent to win 15 or 20 games."

Escobar gave up eight hits and one walk, showing far more control than in his last two outings.

In his last two starts, a loss and a no-decision, Escobar (5-6) allowed a combined 14 bases on balls.

Escobar's one walk came in the third inning, just two batters before he retired 12 Marlins in a row. He struck out seven during the stretch, which spanned from the fourth through the seventh innings.

"I just forgot about when I got to the mound," Escobar said of his pregame struggles. "Maybe I just started throwing it and not thinking about overthrowing it. I just let it go."

Most of the scoring came in the first three innings. Delgado hit a three-run homer off Vladimir Nunez (0-6) in the first, scoring Shannon Stewart and Craig Grebeck. Nunez hit Stewart and walked Grebeck to start the game. Delgado finished 3-for-5 with three RBI.

"He's a monster," Florida manager John Boles said. "He's a real pro now."

Boles wouldn't say whether the start was Nunez's last. Nunez left after giving up six hits and five runs in three innings. Earlier this season, Boles considered moving Nunez back to the bullpen.

"I feel strong. I don't have any problems in my arm, so I don't understand what's happening," said Nunez, adding that he was unaffected by the nine stitches he took Saturday to close a gash on his right middle finger. He cut it on some broken glass while taking out the trash.

"It's a tough time in my life and my career," he said. "I've never been in this position before."

The Marlins cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the first with consecutive two-out singles from Cliff Floyd, Preston Wilson and Mike Lowell.

But Escobar settled down after the first, striking out the side in the second and allowing just five hits -- all singles -- over the next eight innings. All eight of the Marlins hits were singles.

"He struggled early, but he got in a good groove and he stayed there for the rest of the day," Blue Jays manager Jim Fregosi said. "He's a young power pitcher and he has to learn how to use his legs late in the game, so it was good for him to get extended.

"He's got a wonderful arm, but they still have to learn how to pitch."

Escobar struck out four of five hitters in the fourth and fifth innings, baffling the Marlins. After Floyd's whiff to end the fifth, he slammed his bat to the ground in disgust.

Escobar had the Marlins frustrated. Seven of his strikeouts came against Florida's 7-8-9 lineup spots, including Paul Bako three times.

"He's tough," Boles said. "He was throwing 96 miles per hour in the eighth inning."

Toronto added two runs in the third, a run in the seventh and one in the eight. Jose Cruz Jr. and Alex Gonzalez had back-to-back run-scoring hits in the third, scoring Grebeck and Delgado.

Stewart led off the seventh with a double, advancing to third on Floyd's error in left field, and scored on Grebeck's single. Stewart's eighth-inning single brought home Gonzalez with two outs.

"It's good to get out of here with a win and hopefully take some momentum to Atlanta," Delgado said.

Game notes
Toronto catcher Darrin Fletcher left the game in the fourth inning with a right shoulder strain. He is day-to-day. ... Fregosi said rookie LHP Clayton Andrews will start in place of RHP Peter Munro on Wednesday against Atlanta. Munro's arm is tired, Fregosi said. ... Marlins 2B Luis Castillo, who leads the majors in stolen bases with 23, missed the game with a sore left ankle. ... The Marlins hit back-to-back pitches off Escobar's glove in the third. The first, a line drive by Dave Berg, nearly hit Escobar in the face, but he got his glove up just in time. Floyd followed with another line drive that Escobar tipped when he whipped his glove behind his back. 3B Chris Woodard picked up the deflection and got Floyd out at first.

 


ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard

Toronto Clubhouse

Florida Clubhouse


RECAPS
NY Yankees 7
Atlanta 6

Tampa Bay 15
NY Mets 5

Cincinnati 3
Minnesota 2

Montreal 1
Baltimore 0

Philadelphia 6
Boston 5

Kansas City 7
Pittsburgh 5

Cleveland 3
St. Louis 2

Detroit 3
Chicago Cubs 2

Chi. White Sox 7
Houston 3

Anaheim 8
Los Angeles 7

Toronto 7
Florida 2

San Francisco 18
Oakland 2

Seattle 6
San Diego 4

Texas 7
Arizona 6

Colorado 7
Milwaukee 1