TORONTO

Blue Jays bats go cold in loss 7-0 to Phillies

Eric Koreen The Canadian Press
Published Monday, June 13, 2016 10:39PM EDT

Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Aaron Loup stands on the mound as he works against the Philadelphia Phillies during seventh inning Major League baseball action in Toronto on Monday, June 13, 2016. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)

Text:

TORONTO -- After a scorching weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays' bats went cold on Monday night.

The Blue Jays' offence was feeble as they lost 7-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies in the first of two games at Rogers Centre. The two teams will play on Wednesday and Thursday in Philadelphia.

Toronto scored 30 runs against the Orioles in a four-game series that ended Sunday, scoring 21 runs in two games on the weekend. However, they had trouble against Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff (4-8), managing just three singles off of him in six innings.

The Blue Jays did not have an extra-base hit all evening. Michael Saunders and Justin Smoak both reached base to start the eighth inning, but Kevin Pillar grounded into a double play, killing the rally.

R.A. Dickey (4-7) allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings, including two home runs in front of 35,678 fans.

Odubel Herrera's third-inning blast barely cleared the wall. Ryan Howard hit a home run of his own to a similar spot in the seventh inning for Philadelphia.

The Phillies scored two more runs that inning off of the beleaguered Toronto bullpen, with Peter Bourjos and Odubel Herrera both driving in teammates.

Jose Bautista returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with tightness in his hip flexor. He had a single in the final of his four at-bats.

As the Blue Jays got one slugger back, they lost another, although likely only for a day. Edwin Encarnacion sat out on Monday after jamming a finger when he stole a base against Baltimore on Sunday. Saunders batted third in the lineup, Encarnacion's usual spot.

Left-handed pitcher Scott Diamond was called up from triple-A Buffalo on Monday. In his first appearance for the team, the Guelph, Ont., native allowed three runs in the ninth inning. He became the 25th Canadian-born player to play for the Blue Jays.

Notes: Brett Cecil pitched off a mound in Florida for the first time since Toronto placed him on the disabled list on May 15 because of a left triceps strain. He is still building up strength in the arm, and will not be returning imminently. ... Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is also expected to play in an extended spring training game on Wednesday, after being pulled from his first attempt at such a game on Friday. He has been out of the lineup since May 27 because of soreness in his right quadriceps.