TORONTO – Left-hander Brett Cecil has been going over the top. Catcher J.P. Arencibia has been going over the fences.
The Toronto Blue Jays were doing it all Friday in a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Arencibia provided all the offence for Toronto with a three-run blast in the fifth inning against Alexi Ogando. It was his 17th homer of the season and his fifth in his past six games.
Cecil (4-4) employed his new full windup for the second start in a row. The new throwing motion, which has his hands go over his head, continues to be effective as he pitched seven innings for his second win against the Rangers in less than a week.
“It’s better rhythm,” Cecil said of the new windup. “It’s made it easier for me to get the ball down in the first place.”
Jon Rauch picked up his ninth save of the season despite giving up a home run to Mike Napoli to lead off the ninth. Rauch then gave up a single to Mitch Moreland.
Cecil pitched his first career shutout with a 3-0 win against the Rangers (60-47) last Sunday, introducing the full over-the-head windup to help establish rhythm in his delivery.
He worked on it with pitching coach Bruce Walton before that start.
“To his credit he has taken this recent adjustment and it has worked very well for him,” manager John Farrell said.
“He’s keeping the ball down,” Arencibia said. “It’s unbelievable how many bad swings guys take when he’s down.
“He’s got good stuff. He could pitch at 88 to 90 and still be very successful. He just has to keep the ball down. He did it again today.”
Cecil allowed seven hits, including a home run by Nelson Cruz, one walk and one run while striking out six to lower his earned-run average to 4.34.
“The guy has got tremendous off-speed stuff,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We knew that and we still couldn’t stay back like we should have.”
Farrell credits Cecil’s new pitching form for the back-to-back wins against the reigning American League champions.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the adjustment in his delivery,” Farrell said. “He’s had better energy in his delivery, he’s had better location to his stuff down in the zone more consistently. And it just allows his change-up to play that much better.
“He’s got a swing-and- a-miss change-up and he’s not afraid to throw it in any count.”
Texas’ Alexi Ogando took the loss last Sunday and again Friday. Ogando (10-5) pitched 5 2-3 innings on Friday and allowed four hits, four walks and three runs, all on Arencibia’s 17th homer of the season. It was Arencibia’s fifth homer in his past six games.
This time, Cecil lost the shutout in the second inning. Cruz, who drove in eight runs in the Rangers’ 12-2 win over the Blue Jays (54-52) last week, led off the second with his 23rd homer of the season.
Cruz came out of the game in the fifth with tightness in his left quadriceps. Endy Chavez replaced him in the fifth.
Both Cecil and Arencibia felt it was a good pitch that Cruz hit for the home run.
“Nelson hit a good pitch, 2-0 down and away he almost knocked down our seats back there but it was a good pitch,” Arencibia said.
The Jays starter agreed.
“I thought was a pretty good pitch,” Cecil agreed. “It was a sinker down and away but apparently that’s where he likes it.”
Edwin Encarnacion’s double in the second was the only Blue Jays hit until the fifth when Aaron Hill led off with an infield hit and Travis Snider singled to left. Arencibia, who hit three homers in last week’s series in Texas, hit a slider on an 0-1 pitch to put the Blue Jays into a 3-1 lead.
“It kind of fooled me a little bit because he throws hard and you’ve really got to sit on the fastball,” Arencibia said. “I was able to still get my hands extended and drive it out of the park.”
Arencibia has hit well since being dropped to the No. 9 spot in the order.
“In that slot he’s been outstanding in terms of average and power and he’s come up with some key swings at key moments in the game,” Farrell said.
Cecil made a key fielding play in the sixth.
The Rangers started the sixth with singles by Josh Hamilton and Young. But Cecil fielded a bunt by Chavez and got the force out at third.
“It’s a big play,” Cecil said.”We practice that more than anything at spring training. So it’s like second nature to us.
“It’s a huge play to keep guys off second and third with one out. Keep them at first and second, a chance at a double play.”
On the next pitch Napoli popped out. Moreland grounded out to end the threat.
Ogando left with two out in the sixth after giving up his second walk of the inning.
Former Rangers reliever Frank Francisco, the subject of trade rumours about a possible trade back to Texas, replaced Cecil and pitched one inning, allowing Young’s double.
First baseman Adam Lind made a nice defensive play in the ninth as well. After Rauch struck out pinch-hitter Chris Davis, David Murphy forced Moreland and second when Lind snared his bouncer. Ian Kinsler fouled out to end the game.
Notes: Attendance at Rogers Centre was 19,287. …Left-hander Brad Mills makes his first major-league start of the season on Saturday against Texas left-hander Derek Holland (9-4, 4.43 ERA). ….Right-hander Jesse Litsch joined the Blue Jays on Friday after being called up after Thursday’s game with right-hander P.J. Walters, obtained from St. Louis in Wednesday’s trade, sent on option to Class AAA Las Vegas. …Former Blue Jays second baseman Roberto Alomar, who was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame last Sunday, will have his jersey No. 12 retired by the club on Sunday in a ceremony at Rogers Centre.
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