PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Cody Asche busted out of his slump. The rest of Philadelphia’s hitters didn’t join him.
Juan Francisco’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night.
Asche hit a game-tying grand slam in the sixth to help the Phillies rally from a 5-0 deficit, but they were swept in a two-game portion of a four-game, home-and-home interleague series. The teams meet Wednesday night in Toronto.
“It felt good to help the team,” said Asche, who finished 4 for 4. “A lot of games I haven’t done that.”
Asche may have earned himself some starts against lefties. Manager Ryne Sandberg had platooned him recently.
“I look at this as a possible breakout game for Cody,” Sandberg said.
For starter Cole Hamels, it wasn’t much to build on.
Hamels, stuck on 99 career wins, allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings.
“They’re an aggressive team and I didn’t want to throw fastballs down the middle, but I can’t be too fine,” he said. “I was missing on the corners.”
Hamels hasn’t looked too sharp in three starts after beginning the season on the disabled list because of biceps tendinitis. The three-time All-Star lefty was supposed to start Sunday but the flu pushed him back two days.
“Where I want to be is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA,” he said. “But I just have to keep working.”
Edwin Encarnacion and Colby Rasmus went deep for the Blue Jays. Marcus Stroman (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for his first career win. Aaron Loup got the final two outs for his second save.
Toronto starter Drew Hutchison took a 5-0 lead into the sixth, but couldn’t hold it. Hutchison allowed five runs and nine hits in eight innings in his seventh start since Tommy John surgery forced him to miss the 2013 season. Hutchison also got his first two career hits, both singles to left.
Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista hit consecutive singles off Antonio Bastardo (3-2) to start the 10th. After Encarnacion popped out to second, Francisco’s shallow fly to center scored Cabrera well ahead of Ben Revere’s weak, off-line throw.
Carlos Ruiz started the Phillies’ rally in the sixth with a double and Chase Utley singled. Ryan Howard followed with an RBI single to cut it to 5-1. But Hutchison got the next two outs before pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. walked to load the bases. Asche then ripped a shot to the seats in right for his first career slam, tying it at 5.
Encarnacion drove one deep into the seats in left leading off the second to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.
Jose Bautista led off the fourth with a double to left, advanced to third on Encarnacion’s single through a shift and scored on Francisco’s grounder for a 2-0 lead.
Rasmus hit a two-run shot out to right-center to make it 4-0 in the fourth. Steve Tolleson’s RBI double in the sixth put the Blue Jays up 5-0.
NOTES: The four hits and four RBIs for Asche are career highs. … Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins wasn’t in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of a strained groin. He grounded out as a pinch-hitter. … Cliff Lee (3-2, 3.00) opposes Mark Buehrle (5-1, 2.25) in a matchup of left-handed aces when the series shifts to Toronto on Wednesday night. The Phillies will play the 20,000th game in team history on Thursday.
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