Happ, Blue Jays rout Phillies in home-and-home series finale

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

Final: Blue Jays 13, Phillies 2 ❖ Attendance: 22,279

PHILADELPHIA — Making his 14th start of the season in the series finale of a four-game home-and-home series against left-hander J.A. Happ and the Toronto Blue Jays (38-31), right-hander Aaron Nola struggled, allowing eight runs (six earned) in just three-plus innings.

The Philadelphia Phillies (30-37) pitching staff went on to allow a season-high 13 runs on a season-high 17 hits, as the team was routed 13-2 for their 11th series defeat of the season Thursday evening at Citizens Bank Park.

Since tossing nine consecutive quality starts from April 22 to June 5, combining for a 1.68 ERA and 5-2 record over 59 innings, Nola has lost each of his last two starts with a 13.50 ERA (10 earned runs in just 6 2/3 innings). With the victory, Happ secured his fourth victory in as many starts against his former team with a 1.11 ERA.

Including his first-inning, two-run home run on Thursday, Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion is batting .432 over his past nine games against the Phillies with nine home runs and 16 runs-batted-in.

Following the game, right-hander Colton Murray was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. A corresponding move will be made prior to Friday's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Murray has allowed 11 earned runs over 23 innings and 17 appearances this season.

The Phillies have now lost 20 of their last 26 games and have fallen to a season-high seven games under .500. During this stretch, they have been outscored by their opponents 138-80.

WP: J.A. Happ (8-3, 3.41 ERA) ❖ LP: Aaron Nola (5-6, 3.51 ERA)

Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next

Game Summary

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TOR	3	0	1	4	0	0	1	4	0	13	17	1
PHI	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	5	4

It did not take long for the Blue Jays to secure a lead. Following a one-out single to center field by third baseman Josh Donaldson in the top of the first, first baseman Edwin Encarnacion went yard for the third consecutive game of the four-game home-and-home series. The next batter, left fielder Michael Saunders, took Nola deep for his 12th home run off the season.

The Blue Jays took their 3-0 lead into the top of the third, where they added an insurance run via a RBI single to left field by catcher Russell Martin. An inning later, three more runs were added on RBI singles by right fielder Jose Bautista and Encarnacion, and a fourth on a fielding error by left fielder Tyler Goeddel.

Happ received another supporting run in the top of the seventh via a solo home run by center fielder Kevin Pillar, the Blue Jays' third home run of the game up to that point to take a 9-0 lead.

The Phillies managed just four baserunners against Happ over the first six innings: a leadoff double by first baseman Tommy Joseph in the second inning, a single by center fielder Odubel Herrera in the sixth and walks by left fielder Jimmy Paredes and Nola in the second and third innings, respectively.

Two first two Phillies batters reached in the seventh on a fielding error by Donaldson, his fifth of the season, and a double to deep right field by catcher Cameron Rupp. Then, their first run of the series finale came home on a Paredes RBI-groundout to third.

Happ finished the night with seven innings of one-run baseball, which was unearned. He threw just 89 pitches, 58 were strikes, and allowed three hits and two walks while striking out five.

The Blue Jays did not step back on their offensive production. They added four more runs in the eighth, two via home runs: a solo shot by second baseman Devon Travis, his second, and a two-run blast by Pillar, his second of the game. Martin also hit a RBI double, raising his season RBI total to 25.

The damage put up by Toronto in the eighth was facilitated by a fielding error by Herrera. Securing the fly out for the second out, Herrera threw the ball into the center field stands while the inning was still in play. This allowed the base runner at first to advance two bases, putting a runner into scoring position to set up Martin's RBI double and Pillar's home run.

Facing former Phillies right-hander Gavin Floyd, who was making his first career appearance on the mound at Citizens Bank Park since June 1, 2006, Herrera hit a RBI-single to left center field, scoring right-fielder Peter Bourjos who began the frame with a double, his 10th.

The Phillies were not able to overcome an 11-run deficit the remainder of the game, however. With the defeat, they were outscored 31-14 in the series and dropped to 11.5 games behind the division-leading Washington Nationals in the National League East standings.

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Starting Pitchers