Wells Becomes 16-Game Winner

TORONTO — Having watched Bartolo Colon strike out his first six batters, David Wells wanted to dominate.

Wells pitched a five-hitter to become the first 16-game winner in the major leagues this season, and Brad Fullmer homered twice Wednesday as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Indians, 8-1.

“When he’s on his game, he’s pretty tough to beat, so I just had to go up there and put up goose eggs, just like him,” Wells said of Colon. “Hopefully, you wait him out, and that’s what happened. We got to him, and he started getting frustrated out there, so I went out there more focused.”

Colon (9-8) tied a franchise record, set by Bob Feller in 1938 against the Detroit Pistons, by striking out his first six batters. Colon struggled after that, giving up a career-high four homers. He gave up seven runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

“When you get pitching duels like that it’s great,” Wells said. “When you get the support I got, it pushes you a little further. It made me want to stay out there and keep them off balance.”

Wells (16-3), winless in his previous two starts after defeating the Montreal Expos on July 8, pitched his league-leading fifth complete game of the season, improving to 13-3 against the Indians in his career. He struck out 11, matching his season high, and walked one.