Post by #1 Jays Fan on Apr 19, 2008 22:48:15 GMT -5
TORONTO -- Stopping losing streaks for the Toronto Blue Jays typically falls on Roy Halladay's shoulders but Dustin McGowan delivered the type of timely outing Saturday worthy of the staff ace.
McGowan shredded the Detroit Tigers for seven superb innings, making a pittance of offensive support stand up in a weight-lifting 3-2 victory.
Alex Rios ripped a solo shot in the first to open the scoring and the Blue Jays (9-9) scratched out two more runs later on to end a gut-wrenching six-game home losing streak, and a three-game skid overall before a crowd of 31,052.
The victory came hours after designated hitter Frank Thomas was relegated to the bench for the next while during a morning meeting with manager John Gibbons. An angry Thomas said the move was made to keep his US$10 million option for 2009 from becoming guaranteed, while the team said his lack of production and the team's offensive woes led to the decision.
Hitting with runners in scoring position has been the main issue for the Blue Jays of late and they certainly had their chances to crack this one open against the Tigers (6-12). But unable to break through in a big way, it was up to McGowan (1-1) to keep one of baseball's most menacing lineups in check and he did just that.
The big right-hander surrendered a run in the second on Jacque Jones' RBI groundout and another in the seventh on Ivan Rodriguez's sacrifice fly but never gave up the lead.
Scott Downs threw a scoreless eighth and B.J. Ryan closed things out in a nervous ninth for his second save.
Rios put the Blue Jays on the board with his blast to left off an erratic Jeremy Bonderman (1-2) and another run scored in the second on Marco Scutaro's bases-loaded walk.
Bonderman was able to keep things at 2-0 there, however, getting Joe Inglett to hit into a double play before David Eckstein flew out to end the inning.
Another chance at a big inning was snuffed out in the third, when with runners on first and second, Matt Stairs of Fredericton was robbed of extra bases by a leaping Carlos Guillen at first, and Rod Barajas grounded out on a ball that nearly snuck into centre field to end the threat.
The Blue Jays took a 3-1 lead in the fifth when Aaron Hill doubled and scored after third baseman Miguel Cabrera booted a Vernon Wells grounder.
A suicide squeeze attempt went bad in the sixth when Eckstein popped up a bunt to reliever Jason Grilli, who proceeded to double up Inglett, who had tripled.
. Notes: Inglett was in the lineup after LF Shannon Stewart was a late scratch with a sore groin. ... A.J. Burnett (1-1, 7.27) starts for the Jays on Sunday versus Nate Robertson (0-1, 7.02). ... The 2009 option on Thomas' contract becomes guaranteed if he makes a total of 1,000 plate appearances in 2006 and 2007. He's 304 plate appearances away.
McGowan shredded the Detroit Tigers for seven superb innings, making a pittance of offensive support stand up in a weight-lifting 3-2 victory.
Alex Rios ripped a solo shot in the first to open the scoring and the Blue Jays (9-9) scratched out two more runs later on to end a gut-wrenching six-game home losing streak, and a three-game skid overall before a crowd of 31,052.
The victory came hours after designated hitter Frank Thomas was relegated to the bench for the next while during a morning meeting with manager John Gibbons. An angry Thomas said the move was made to keep his US$10 million option for 2009 from becoming guaranteed, while the team said his lack of production and the team's offensive woes led to the decision.
Hitting with runners in scoring position has been the main issue for the Blue Jays of late and they certainly had their chances to crack this one open against the Tigers (6-12). But unable to break through in a big way, it was up to McGowan (1-1) to keep one of baseball's most menacing lineups in check and he did just that.
The big right-hander surrendered a run in the second on Jacque Jones' RBI groundout and another in the seventh on Ivan Rodriguez's sacrifice fly but never gave up the lead.
Scott Downs threw a scoreless eighth and B.J. Ryan closed things out in a nervous ninth for his second save.
Rios put the Blue Jays on the board with his blast to left off an erratic Jeremy Bonderman (1-2) and another run scored in the second on Marco Scutaro's bases-loaded walk.
Bonderman was able to keep things at 2-0 there, however, getting Joe Inglett to hit into a double play before David Eckstein flew out to end the inning.
Another chance at a big inning was snuffed out in the third, when with runners on first and second, Matt Stairs of Fredericton was robbed of extra bases by a leaping Carlos Guillen at first, and Rod Barajas grounded out on a ball that nearly snuck into centre field to end the threat.
The Blue Jays took a 3-1 lead in the fifth when Aaron Hill doubled and scored after third baseman Miguel Cabrera booted a Vernon Wells grounder.
A suicide squeeze attempt went bad in the sixth when Eckstein popped up a bunt to reliever Jason Grilli, who proceeded to double up Inglett, who had tripled.
. Notes: Inglett was in the lineup after LF Shannon Stewart was a late scratch with a sore groin. ... A.J. Burnett (1-1, 7.27) starts for the Jays on Sunday versus Nate Robertson (0-1, 7.02). ... The 2009 option on Thomas' contract becomes guaranteed if he makes a total of 1,000 plate appearances in 2006 and 2007. He's 304 plate appearances away.
