Edwin Encarnacion hit his seventh career grand slam and a solo homer as the Toronto Blue Jays handed the slumping Texas Rangers their season-high sixth straight loss, 12-2 Friday night.
Russell Martin and Danny Valencia each hit solo homers for the Blue Jays, who improved to 17-7 in June and boosted their ML-leading run total to 417.
Encarnacion had three hits and narrowly missed a third home run in his final at-bat, flying out to the warning track in left against Rangers infielder Adam Rosales.
Mark Buehrle (8-4) pitched seven innings to win his third straight decision, improving to 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA in five June starts. Buehrle allowed two runs and five hits.
Encarnacion gave the Blue Jays all the runs they'd need with a first inning blast to center off Nick Martinez (5-4), then went deep off Ross Detwiler in the seventh. It was Encarnacion's 20th multihomer game.
The grand slam was the second of the season for Toronto, and marked the ML-leading 29th time they've scored four or more runs in an inning.
Prince Fielder hit his 300th career homer, joining father Cecil in the 300-home run club and giving baseball its second father-son duo to reach the plateau. Bobby Bonds (332) and career leader Barry Bonds (762) are the only other father and son to reach the 300-homer mark.
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Toronto has won 11 of the past 14 meetings with Texas, including eight of 12 at home.
It's the longest losing streak for Texas since an eight-game slide from Aug. 30-Sept. 6, 2014. The Rangers (37-37) fell to .500 for the first time since May 30, when they were 25-25.
Martinez allowed nine runs, eight earned, and nine hits in six innings. He has won just once in his past six starts.
Rosales became the ninth position player to pitch for the Rangers when he came on in the eighth. The last to do it was J.P. Arencibia, who pitched against Tampa Bay on Aug. 13, 2014.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Matt Harrison (back surgery) threw a 35 pitch bullpen session in front of manager Jeff Banister and pitching coach Mike Maddux. Harrison is set to throw another session on Sunday.
Blue Jays: Toronto activated 2B Devon Travis (left shoulder) off the 15-day DL and optioned INF Munenori Kawasaki to Triple-A.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Yovano Gallardo is 3-0 with a 1.22 ERA in his past six starts, lowering his ERA from 4.26 to 2.98 in that span. Gallardo has not allowed a run in his past 15 innings.
Blue Jays: Toronto is expected to promote LHP Matt Boyd from Triple-A Buffalo to make his MLB debut. Boyd is 7-2 with a 1.26 ERA in 14 starts at Double-A and Triple-A this season. He'll start in place of RHP Aaron Sanchez (strained back muscle).
