TORONTO-If anyone on the Toronto Blue Jays was in need of a big hit entering play Monday, it was J.P. Arencibia.
During the Blue Jays recent 2-5 road trip through Tampa Bay and Boston, the 27-year-old catcher batted .136/.208/.136/.344 with zero RBIs and seven strikeouts.
Arencibia’s difficult week at the plate came to a head in Sunday’s 5-4 loss in Boston when he popped up to short with the bases loaded, none out and the Blue Jays trailing 4-2.
On Monday against the visiting Detroit Tigers, Arencibia stepped up to the plate again with the bases loaded, this time with one out in the bottom of the third and his team ahead 2-0.
This time he delivered with a two-run single through the left side of the infield that proved to the be the difference in a 8-3 win before a festive Canada Day sellout crowd of 45,766 at Rogers Centre.
“That was big, he needed that,” said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons post-game. “He’s frustrated. He’s a great competitor. He’s a guy that gets a lot of focus on this team. He’s kind of been the whipping boy in a lot of ways. There’s always one, sometimes two, but he’s kind of that guy.
“That’s fine, that’s part of it,” continued Gibbons. “As long as he gets the credit when he plays good that’s fair. But he needed that.”
The eight runs was more than enough support for Toronto starter R.A. Dickey, who pitched seven innings of six-hit, two-run ball with four strikeouts en route evening his record at 8-8.
“I see more bite on his knuckleball,” said Gibbons. “It was sharper and it’s in the zone. He’s on a nice little roll.”
Arencibia’s contribution was unexpected in more ways than one.
Initially scheduled for a day off, Arencibia was a late addition to the starting lineup at DH after Edwin Encarnacion was scratched just prior to game time with a tight left hamstring.
“Today when (Encarnacion) was getting ready down in the cage, (his hamstring) was grabbing him,” said Gibbons. “There was something there that wasn’t normal, so it made sense to give him the day (off). Hopefully it’s not a long-term thing. We don’t think it will be.”
Also missing from the Blue Jays starting lineup on Monday was Adam Lind, who is day-to-day after straining a back muscle Sunday in Boston.
Prior to Monday’s game Lind said he hopes to return to the Blue Jays’ lineup no later than Wednesday.
Lind’s replacement at first base Monday, Mark DeRosa, hit a three-run home run in the fourth to put Toronto in front 8-2.
DeRosa, who was not available Sunday in Boston due to a sore neck, entered the game in a 2-for-27 slump. He said his neck was OK prior to the game Monday, and the injury is one he’s dealing with periodically since 2008.
“You have to be ready at a moment’s notice and you have to perform, take pride in your craft and take tough at-bats,” he said. “Obviously you can’t replace Eddie; can’t replace the way Lind has swung the bat. I’m aware of that, but there are guys here that are capable of doing the things they have to do.”
WHERE THINGS STAND: With the win, the Blue Jays improved their home record to 23-17 and they returned to the .500 mark overall at 41-41. Toronto’s next six games are at home as they play host to Detroit for three more before Minnesota comes to town for a three-game weekend series beginning Friday.
THE BATS: Toronto entered the game with 105 home runs, second most in the American League behind the Baltimore Orioles (115).
DeRosa’s three-run shot in the fourth (No. 5), and Jose Reyes’ solo shot to the second deck in left to open the third (No. 3), brought them a little closer to the league-leading O’s, who were idle Monday.
Reyes had three hits on the afternoon while Rajai Davis had a pair for Toronto, who pounded out 10 hits overall.
Despite home runs in back-to-back games, Reyes wasn’t quite ready to declare himself locked in at the plate.
“It’s coming but it’s not quite there yet. But it’s a process,” he said. “I’ve been working hard every single day that I get here. You guys say it’s there because I got three hits today but like I said, if I get three more tomorrow then that’s consistent and that’s the point that I want to be (at).”
Davis also chipped in with a pair of stolen bases.
THE ARMS: Prior to the game, Gibbons said a good start from Dickey would go a “long way” to helping the Blue Jays bullpen catch its breath following a taxing weekend in Boston.
Dickey delivered going seven strong innings, scattering six hits and a walk. Save a for a solo home run Dickey surrendered to Prince Fielder, Toronto pitchers held the top four batters in the Tigers’ lineup (Austin Jackson, Torii Hunter, Miguel Cabrera and Fielder) to two hits in 16 plate appearances.
Following the game, Dickey said much of his recent success is due to the late bite he’s been seeing on his knuckleball as a result of some added velocity.
“I think any pedestrian could see that it’s harder,” he said. “The velocity’s come back and it’s been kind of a tough go getting it back. I threw a knuckleball 81 miles an hour, a lot at 80 miles an hour and I threw a fastball 85 miles an hour.
“You can get away with more mistakes when the velocity is up there.”
Steve Delabar struck out the side in a perfect eighth while Aaron Loup came on in the ninth to close things out, surrendering a two-out solo shot to Omar Infante.
REYES STILL NOT 100 PER CENT: During a first inning groundout to short, Reyes appeared to be running at less than 100 per cent.
Following the game, he acknowledged that the left ankle he severely sprained back in April has not fully healed.
“It’s still bothering me a little bit, but you know, I can play with it so like I said, maybe it’s not going to be 100 per cent the rest of the year,” he said. “Maybe it’ll get to 100 per cent with some rest, but like I said, I’m able to play like that and I’m just happy to be on the field, helping my ballclub.
“I’m able to do everything on the field. For me it’s nothing to worry about.”
