CLEVELAND — Hyun Jin Ryu regained his control after a rough first inning while battling strong winds and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Joe Panik drove in three runs apiece, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to an 11-2 win over the Cleveland Indians in a game called in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Panik connected for a two-run homer in the third inning to make it 6-2 against Eli Morgan, who may remember his major league debut more for the lousy weather than anything else. The game was played in winds gusting to 45 mph throughout, and a steady, blowing rain made conditions miserable for both teams, the umpires and fans.
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The Tribe (27-22) actually took the lead out of the gate thanks to a two-run single by Eddie Rosario, but the Jays (26-24) tied it up in the second after the wind took the ball over center fielder Harold Ramirez's head for an RBI doubly by Danny Jansen. The elements would play a role in the outfield all night, including on two more third-inning doubles by Randal Grichuk and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. right before Panik's blast.
Cleveland managed just one more hit following the productive first, and the offense was dealt another blow before first pitch when Jordan Luplow was placed on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle. The 27-year-old is batting just .173, but does have seven home runs and a respectable .769 OPS.
The Indians now trail the Chicago White Sox by two games in the American league Central, and will try to get back in the win column Saturday afternoon amid a weather forecast that calls for more rain chances. Rookie Sam Hentges (1-1, 6.20 ERA) will get the start against Toronto's Ross Stripling (0-3, 5.63).