{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
Major League Baseball
Toronto 4, Seattle 0
When: 7:07 PM ET, Friday, May 12, 2017
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Temperature: Indoors
Umpires: Home - Ted Barrett, 1B - Angel Hernandez, 2B - Lance Barksdale, 3B - John Tumpane
Attendance: 32865

TORONTO -- Joe Biagini has had a change in his role in the past week, moving from reliever to starter for the Toronto Blue Jays.

So in keeping with the theme of change, he used an effective changeup with his fastball in his second career major-league start, and it was enough to pitch effectively into the sixth inning of a 4-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

"I thought he was great," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "I thought he started to hit the wall a little bit.

"He's got a great arm. I thought he had a really good changeup. As it got later in the game, it started to come up a little bit because he was tiring a little bit. Tremendous job. They've got a good lineup over there and he shut them down."

Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer and Devon Travis drove in two runs with a groundout and a fly ball for the Blue Jays (15-21), who have won three games in a row for the first time this season.

The Mariners (17-19) have lost two in a row.

Biagini (1-1) allowed four hits and no walks while striking out three.

"The changeup is a pitch I've been working on a lot," Biagini said. "I was disappointed with it last year. I wanted to try to have a little bit different perspective on it, mindset on it this season. I try to make sure that my arm speed is up on that pitch and I think when I have that it looks a little bit more like a fastball."

In talking to catcher Luke Maile before the game, Biagini decided that it could be an effective pitch.

"Later in the game as my pitch count got up there a little bit, my offspeed pitches started to come up a little," Biagini said.

Seattle starter Christian Bergman (0-1) allowed seven hits, one walk and three runs in five innings. He had one strikeout.

"I thought he hung in there fine," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "We've got to get it back going offensively again."

Biagini left after surrendering a leadoff single in the sixth to Jean Segura, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Aaron Loup replaced Biagini for one batter, inducing a grounder to third from Ben Gamel that forced Segura at second.

Danny Barnes replaced Loup in the sixth and pitched around Kyle Seager's single.

"(Biagini) had pretty good command of his fastball," Gamel said. "He was kind of putting it in and out. He was throwing that curveball for a strike and just made some good pitches."

The Blue Jays increased their lead to 4-0 against reliever Jean Machi in the sixth. Ryan Goins singled, took second on a passed ball, went to third on a single by Darwin Barney and came home on a sacrifice fly by Travis.

Guillermo Heredia and Taylor Motter started the seventh with singles against Barnes, who struck out Carlos Ruiz and Jarrod Dyson.

Ryan Tepera replaced Barnes and ended the inning with Segura's fly to right and pitched a perfect eighth.

Roberto Osuna retired the side in order in the ninth.

The Blue Jays scored once in the second inning.

Steve Pearce and Goins each had a single and advanced a base after Barney's sacrifice. Pearce scored when Travis grounded out to shortstop.

Pearce made a diving catch in left field to end the top of the third on Gamel's attempt for a hit with runners at second and third.

Bautista gave Toronto a 3-0 lead with his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot with one out in the third. It scored Kevin Pillar, who led off with a single.

"As hot as we were with the bat in Philadelphia, we've been just as cold here in Toronto," Servais said. "(Biagini) mixed in a good changeup, his fastball had life. You don't score, you're not going to win."

NOTES: Seattle 2B Robinson Cano (right quadriceps strain) missed his second straight game. He left the game Tuesday in Philadelphia with the injury in the fourth inning, played Wednesday against the Phillies and was a late scratch Thursday. INF Taylor Motter started at second base. ... Toronto DH Kendrys Morales (tight left hamstring) missed his third straight game. He left the game Tuesday in the seventh inning with the injury. RF Jose Bautista was the DH for the second straight game with OF Ezequiel Carrera in right field. ... Seattle OF Guillermo Heredia started in left field after missing the start Thursday because of visa issues entering Canada. ... Toronto RHP Marcus Stroman (3-2, 3.38 ERA) will oppose Seattle RHP Ryan Weber (season debut) on Saturday in the third game of the four-game series
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Seattle   Toronto
Christian Bergman Player Joe Biagini
Loss W/L Win
5.0 IP 5.0
1 Strikeouts 3
7 Hits 4
5.40 ERA 0.00
Hitting
Seattle   Toronto
Taylor Motter Player Darwin Barney
2 Hits 2
0 RBI 0
0 HR 0
2 TB 3
.500 Avg .667
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Seattle 7 0 9 .206 16 8 0 0 0 0
Toronto 10 1 15 .323 14 3 4 1 2 0