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Jays end 9-game losing run

Source: Agencies | May 31, 2009, Sunday | Print Edition

THE struggling Toronto Blue Jays returned home to end a nine-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

Toronto's Rod Barajas delivered a two-run single in the fifth inning as the Blue Jays scored five times to sink the Red Sox, who swept a three-game series between the teams last week to send their American League East foe spiraling into a prolonged slump.

Starter Casey Janssen allowed 11 hits through seven innings before relievers Brandon League and Scott Downs closed out the final two innings to help the Blue Jays (28-23) improve to 17-6 at home.

The win was the first in more than two years for Janssen, who missed all of last year with a shoulder injury.

"It's a relief to finally get it," Janssen said.

"Grind is probably the best word (for tonight). Or battle. It seemed like my command wasn't great. They hit my mistakes." Boston (28-21) starter Tim Wakefield surrendered six runs in 4 2/3 innings as the Red Sox dropped their third game in the last four.

The Red Sox entered the contest having defeated the Blue Jays four successive times but failed to drive home runners when they needed to.

David Ortiz ended his career-long home run slump against Toronto on May 20 but he continued his poor hitting by finishing 0-for-4.

Scott Rolen was 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Blue Jays and Marco Scutaro added two hits and an RBI as the team rebounded from its recent road trip.

"You go through a period like that and you'd think, 'Goodness, we just lost six games in the standings'," said Toronto outfielder Vernon Wells, whose team was first in the AL East a little more than a week ago.

"We lost a few, but nobody really ran away with anything. We obviously have to play a little better baseball from here on out."

In other American League games, it was: Yankees 3, Indians 1; Orioles 7, Tigers 2; Rays 5, Twins 3; Mariners 5, Angels 2; Rangers 6, Athletics 3, (first game); Rangers 5, Athletics 2, (second game); and White Sox 11, Royals 2.

In the National League, it was: Cubs 2, Dodgers 1; Brewers 3, Reds 2; Giants 4, Cardinals 2; Mets 2, Marlins 1 (in 11 innings); Braves 10, Diamondbacks 6; Rockies 3, Padres 0; Astros 6, Pirates 1; and Phillies 5, Nationals 4.

In Cleveland, New York went to the top of the AL East standings with a victory over Cleveland.

Andy Pettitte pitched five scoreless innings for the Yankees before leaving in the sixth inning because of a stiff back.

The loss ended Cleveland's season-high, four-game winning streak.

In Baltimore, Luke Scott extended his recent power surge with a grand slam and a solo homer, lifting Baltimore over Detroit.

The Orioles stretched their season-high winning streak to five games.
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