TORONTO - Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer and Marcus Stroman threw a three-hit shutout as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Chicago Cubs 8-0 on Monday night at Rogers Centre.
Bautista's no-doubt blast in the fifth inning was his 32nd homer of the season and 200th as a Blue Jay. It provided more than enough run support for Stroman, who had eight strikeouts and didn't walk a batter.
The rookie right-hander gave up a single to Jorge Soler in the second inning and retired 19 straight before allowing a single to Mike Olt in the eighth. Stroman (10-5) threw 66 of his 93 pitches for strikes in the first complete-game victory of his career.
Toronto, which started the day five games out of a wild-card spot, improved to 74-69 by taking the opener of the three-game interleague series. Jacob Turner (5-9) shouldered the loss for Chicago (64-80), losers of four straight.
Stroman was given a scare after throwing his second pitch of the night. Leadoff man Chris Coghlan lashed a fastball back to the mound that just missed Stroman's head.
The ball deflected off his glove and bounced to shortstop Jose Reyes, who made the throw to first in time. Stroman came up smiling after dusting himself off and went on to retire the side in order.
Stroman showed off his athleticism in the third inning. Logan Watkins hit a slow grounder near the mound that Stroman backhanded before turning in the air and making an off-balance throw that was just in time for the out.
The Blue Jays padded their lead in the fourth inning.
Edwin Encarnacion led off with a single and moved to third on Adam Lind's flare to right field. Dioner Navarro hit a sacrifice fly to deep centre field that easily scored Encarnacion.
In the fifth, Ryan Goins and Anthony Gose reached on back-to-back singles before Bautista turned on a 2-1 pitch that landed in the second deck.
Toronto tacked on a run in the seventh inning off reliever Dan Straily. Kevin Pillar led off with a double and scored when Watkins booted a Goins grounder to second base.
Lind led off the eighth with a double and was replaced by pinch-runner Steve Tolleson. Navarro followed with another double to bring Tolleson home before scoring himself on a one-out single by Pillar.
Toronto outhit Chicago 12-3. Announced attendance was 16,879 and the game took two hours 20 minutes to play.
Notes: Goins provided a highlight-reel play to end the game by barehanding a chopper and throwing Javier Baez out at first base. ... Bautista is fifth on the franchise list for home runs hit as a Blue Jay. George Bell is next with 202 and Carlos Delgado owns top spot with 336. ... Stroman threw nine innings in a 3-2 win over Detroit on Aug. 9 but settled for a no-decision. That game was tied at two when he left and the Blue Jays won it in the 10th. ... Toronto will send left-hander Mark Buehrle (11-9, 3.34 ERA) to the mound Tuesday night against right-hander Jake Arrieta (8-5, 2.81). ... This is the fourth series between the teams and third to be played at Rogers Centre. Chicago won two of three when the teams last met here in June 2008. ... Both clubs are well back in their respective division races. Toronto entered play 10 games behind Baltimore in the A.L. East while last-place Chicago entered play 15 games behind St. Louis in the N.L. Central. ... It was the opener of a six-game, seven-day road trip for the Cubs. Chicago gets an off-day Thursday before starting a three-game series at Pittsburgh. Toronto is also off Thursday before continuing its six-game homestand with a weekend series against Tampa Bay.
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