Aaron Laffey celebrated the birth of his son with his first victory of the season Wednesday night in the Indians' 3-1 win over Toronto. The Indians have won four straight and go for the sweep today against the Jays.
UPDATED: 11:45 p.m.
Aaron Laffey allowed just one run in six-plus innings of work Wednesday against Toronto, one day after the birth of his son.• Westbrook improving trade worth: Insider
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- First-time fathers can be jumbled of mind and body. Welcome to the club, Aaron Laffey.
Laffey, a day after his wife, Jackie, gave birth to their first child, forgot to get the game ball for his new son Wednesday night after pitching six good innings in the Indians' 3-1 victory over Toronto at Progressive Field.
Braeden Park Laffey was born at 10:42 a.m. Tuesday.
"My teammates were yelling at me about not getting the game ball for him," said Laffey, "but Jake Westbrook told me, 'You can tell him about it. You don't need a ball to show him.'
"I kept telling myself at certain points in the game if I had a runner on or was behind in the count, 'Come on, your son was born yesterday. You can't give in here. You can't give in here. It was definitely an inspiration.'"
The Indians are a bit of an inspiration themselves. After playing most of June as though they were sedated, and losing 11 of 12 games from June 13 through Saturday, they've won four straight. It matches their longest winning streak of the season.
They've used the same formula to produce each victory -- solid starting pitching, occasional power from the lineup and crisp and flexible relief pitching. Kerry Wood saved the first three games in the streak. Chris Perez did the honors with a 1-2-3 ninth Wednesday. It was his seventh save of the season and first since May 9. Perez opened the season at closer because Wood was injured.
The power came from Shin-Soo Choo and Matt LaPorta. Before the game Choo, who hits to the middle of the field, said it's been tough to drive the ball to left-center field at Progressive Field because of the wind and the 19-foot wall that extends from the left-field foul line to almost straightaway center field.
Laffey made the one-run lead stand through six innings. It was his second start since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus on Friday. He faced the Reds that night and allowed five runs in four innings in a 10-3 loss.
"I got a little fastball happy in that game," said Laffey. "Tonight I used all my pitches. Carlos [Santana] and I were on the same page. He did a great job of changing speeds and calling good pitches in good counts."
Laffey's best moment came in the fifth when he struck out Fred Lewis to end the inning with the bases loaded. In the sixth, Santana gave Laffey a 2-0 lead with a two-out single that scored Choo.
The left-hander came out for the seventh, but John Buck and Lyle Overbay greeted him with singles to put runners at first and third. Manager Manny Acta went to his bullpen. The pen has produced a lot of dark moments this season, but for the fourth straight game found nothing but sunshine.
Frank Herrmann popped up Aaron Hill, but Nick Green followed with a single between his legs. Shortstop Jason Donald made a diving stop behind second as Buck scored and Overbay went to second. Herrmann stopped the Jays right there by striking out pinch-hitter Adam Lind and Lewis.
"Herrmann did a fantastic job," said Acta. "He was 4-for-4 with first-pitch strikes and threw 15 of his 18 pitches for strikes."
Matt LaPorta, for the second straight night, gave the Indians some elbow room with a late homer to center. In Tuesday's 5-4 victory, he delivered in the sixth. On Wednesday night, LaPorta homered with two out off Shawn Camp in the seventh to make it 3-1.
"I don't know what kind of pitch I hit," said LaPorta.
Whatever it was, it gave Joe Smith and Chris Perez room to work. Smith, who changed his delivery on Monday night against Toronto, worked his way through the heart of the Jays' order in the eighth. He retired Alex Gonzalez (14 homers), Jose Bautisa (20) and Vernon Wells (19) on ground outs.
"I went back to the way I pitched to get to the big leagues," said Smith. "I said to myself, 'If I'm going to get hit around, at least I'm going to get hit around doing it my way.'"