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Monday, August 22, 2011

JANIE McCAULEY
The pilot of the Toronto Blue Jays John Farrell had such confidence in his starter Luis Perez who left the mound to get out of the quagmire slam in which he got, despite that victory depended on it.

The Dominican 26 years took over the task calmly, as if he had done many times.

Perez pitched six innings Sunday in his brilliant first major league start and, along with Casey Janssen, allowed one hit to the Oakland Athletics to a 1-0 defeat. Compatriot Jose Bautista provided the only run in the seventh with his 36th homer, the highest in the majors.

"I felt great, not tired," Perez said after the game. "I was glad he trusted me to throw and ended the inning with the bases loaded."

Perez (3-2) allowed no runners on base until Cliff Pennington was a ticket on five pitches to start the sixth. Jemil Weeks singled and then loaded the bases, but Perez Coco Crisp forced to fall into a double play which was his last pitch of the game.

The left-hander had 29 native Guayubín outputs as a reliever this season, but was starter throughout his minor league career.

"He's a guy who has confidence," said catcher JP Arencibia. "If you're going to win, will fall by attacking the opposition."

Perez struck out four and walked two in a performance of 80 pitches. Confused the Oakland hitters with a fastball that moved in the air and also used his changeup from time to time.

It was a solid performance of a pitcher who did not work more than four innings since May 15 when he played in the Triple-A In his major league career, only had eight outputs of two or more entries.

Perez said he did not think about having a perfect game nor a hitless, but keep focused on attacking the rival batsmen.

"I had not had an opening and did not know how long it would last," he said. "I stayed mentally strong. Each entry threw better and better. I kept attacking hitters and throwing strikes."

In Saint Petersburg, Florida, the good performance of another pitcher not enough to win: Michael Pineda was a flash of efficiency in another dark day for the Seattle Mariners.

Johnny Damon lost in the seventh inning grand slam after the umpires watched the video replay, but in the ninth hit the decisive homer in the 8-7 victory for Tampa Bay over the Mariners.

Pineda rookie allowed two earned runs and six hits over six innings. Prescribed five strikeouts, which reached 148 in 147 innings this season.

"We had to do to launch more speed changes to its development," said catcher Josh Bard from Seattle. "Where we obviously wanted to make that pitch. We feel like when (as Felix) Hernandez began to take off."

Damon in the ninth the first release of Dan Cortes (0-2) and sent it to the right field bleachers to make it your 11th homer of the season.

"(Cortes) simply left the pitch very high," he said Seattle manager Eric Wedge.

The Rays were down 5-4 in the seventh when Damon homered ligated between the right center. At first it was considered a home run, but the umpires changed their decision to a three-run double after reviewing the video. TV replays showed the decision was correct.

Jamey Wright lasted only a third of an inning in relief of Pineda. He gave three bases on balls, allowed one hit and four runs that connected the Rays scored in the seventh.

"Within a year, possibly, we put (Pineda) an additional input," said Wedge.

The pilot said that 94 launches "was enough for him. That point is exactly where we are and where he is."

In other results Sunday, in the American League, Detroit beat Cleveland 8-7, Boston 6-1 to Kansas City, the New York Yankees 3-0 to Minnesota, Chicago White Sox 10-0 to Texas and the Los Angeles Angels 7-1 to Baltimore.





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