That one would have hurt for a long time

TORONTO — The Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays met in the American League Championship Series two years ago.It merely seems longer than that for Blue Jays fans now that their team is struggling.The Indians won that series in five games and then lost the World Series to the Chicago Cubs in seven.Article continues below ...The teams have gone in opposite directions.The Indians are on the verge of clinching the American League Central Brock Holt Jersey , while the Blue Jays are wallowing in fourth place in the AL East.Both teams will be coming off wins when they open a four-game series at the Rogers Centre on Thursday night.The Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Progressive Field with Corey Kluber becoming the first 18-game winner this season.Cleveland’s magic number to clinch the AL Central is eight.The Blue Jays (63-76) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 10-3 on Wednesday night to avoid being swept in the three-game series.The Indians (79-60) will start right-hander Shane Bieber (8-3, 4.66 ERA) in the opener and the Blue Jays will send out right-hander Sam Gaviglio (3-7, 5.02).Bieber will face the Blue Jays for the first time in his career. He is 4-0 with a 4.44 ERA in eight road starts this season. Gaviglio has never faced the Indians. He is 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts) at home in 2018.Toronto fans had hoped they might see third baseman Josh Donaldson, who has missed much of the season with a calf injury and was traded to Cleveland last week.Donaldson, however, was put back on the disabled list by the Indians and he is on a minor league rehabilitation assignment. He has not played since May 28 and is eligible to be activated Sept. 11.Donaldson hit a grand slam for Triple-A Columbus on Monday on the final day of regular-season action in the minors. He homered again Wednesday, a two-run shot, in going 1-for-3 for Akron in a 5-2 victory over Altoona in a Double-A Eastern League playoff game.“I feel pretty good http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-...llo-jersey ,” Donaldson told the Akron Beacon Journal after the game. “(My) rhythm, my timing, pitch recognition feels good. My body is feeling even better. Anytime my body is feeling right, I’m going to perform to my capability.”Donaldson can become a free agent at the end of the season and a strong finish would enhance his bargaining power after such a disappointing season.“As I was telling the front office and (Indians manager) Tito (Terry Francona) before I went on the DL, my timing has come around a lot quicker than I even expected it to. I’m seeing the ball pretty well right now and I’ve had some success here recently.”If Toronto fans are disappointed in not seeing the return of the 2015 American League MVP, so was his former manager.“I was looking forward to seeing him,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.The Blue Jays have won two of three games from the Indians this season. They won 8-4 in Cleveland on April 13. The other two games were postponed until the teams split a doubleheader on May 3.As good as the Indians are, the Blue Jays had more trouble against the Rays Chris Sale Jersey , who still hold a 9-3 advantage over Toronto this season. That is one reason Wednesday’s win was a big relief for the Blue Jays.“One thing, we’ve always had trouble with Tampa Bay, whether it’s here or down there,” Gibbons said. “Their pitching’s always been tough on us. I don’t care if this is basically a new group. They’ve always done a number on us and it’s lasted a few years.”The Blue Jays had 16 hits Wednesday, which saved them from setting a dubious record. In the previous seven games meetings dating to June 12, the Rays had held the Blue Jays to five or fewer hits. That tied the major league record by any team against a single opponent set by the Baltimore Orioles against the Washington Senators from Sept. 11, 1968 to April 18, 1969. ARLINGTON Tyler Thornburg Jersey , Texas (AP) — Bartolo Colon kept the Texas Rangers close after a rough first inning in his first start since setting the record for victories by a Latin American pitcher.His catcher helped the 45-year-old right-hander extend that mark.Robinson Chirinos hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fourth while finishing with four RBIs, and Colon made it through five innings in the Rangers’ 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.Colon (7-10) retired 10 consecutive batters after allowing run-scoring doubles by A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr. in the first. Pollock’s liner was misplayed in right field by Joey Gallo.Big Sexy got his 247th career win, two more than Dennis Martinez of Nicaragua. A native of the Dominican Republic, Colon has four more victories than countryman and Hall of Famer Juan Marichal.“He’s been doing it for so long, he knows when he gives up some runs he can come back and keep the game close,” Chirinos said. “That’s what he did tonight.”Chirinos’ 443-foot drive into the visitors’ bullpen in left-center was his 16th homer of the season and ended Arizona right-hander Zack Greinke’s streak of nine straight starts allowing two runs or fewer. Chirinos added an RBI single in the eighth.Ronald Guzman led off the third with his 13th homer after Greinke (12-8) retired the first six Texas hitters.Greinke permitted six hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings with two walks and six strikeouts while dropping his third straight start after winning his previous seven decisions.“I think they’re the best offense in baseball the last month,” Greinke said. “So going in in their home park is going to be tough. But I made more mistakes and got behind in more counts than needed to make it a little bit tougher.”Colon gave up four hits and three runs while setting a Texas record with his 22nd straight start with two or fewer walks. He issued one free pass and struck out three. Colon has won both his starts in August after losing all five in July.Rangers reliever Eddie Butler retired all six batters he faced. Cory Gearrin got Eduardo Escobar on a tapper in front of the plate to end the eighth with runners at the corners in a one-run game http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-...-jr-jersey , and Jose Leclerc struck out two in a perfect ninth for his second save.BELTRE’S HAMSTRINGRangers manager Jeff Banister said Adrian Beltre reinjured his left hamstring while scoring from second base on Chirinos’ single in the eighth. He was replaced at third base by Jurickson Profar in the ninth. The Rangers said Beltre, who got career hit No. 3,137, would have an MRI on Tuesday. Beltre has missed 27 games over two stints on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.TOP OF THE HEAPThe Diamondbacks began the night a game ahead of the Dodgers for the lead in the NL West. Los Angeles played San Francisco at home later Monday. “Our pitching has been outstanding, and that’s the reason we are where we’re at,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I feel like we’ve earned it. Could it be better? Yeah.”NICE SNAG, SKIPBanister made a nifty, one-handed catch on a bouncer into the dugout from Guzman in the fourth inning Roger Clemens Jersey , reaching above his head with his right hand. Three innings earlier, he stayed away from a smash by Escobar. Both were batting left-handed. “It was just inside my reach,” Banister said. “The first one I was not going to be able to catch. That one was coming pretty hard. That one would have hurt for a long time.”TRAINER’S ROOMRangers: RHP Doug Fister is headed home for the season because his right knee strain isn’t responding to treatment as hoped. Fister hasn’t pitched since limping off the mound after throwing the first pitch of the sixth inning against Houston on June 8. … RF Nomar Mazara (right thumb sprain) will play nine innings in a rehab assignment for Double-A Frisco on Tuesday. He’s been out since July 17.UP NEXTArizona LHP Patrick Corbin (9-4, 3.15 ERA) makes his first career appearance against the Rangers in the finale of the two-game series. Texas RHP Yovani Gallardo (7-1, 6.11) has the most wins in the majors since June 23 with seven, and the highest run-support average by almost two runs at 11.43 during that same span.