McGowan in fine form as Blue Jays cruise past Devil Rays <h3>TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2</h3>ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Forgive Dustin McGowan ifhe was just a little surprised by his offense on Friday. Dustin McGowan tossed struck out a career-high 12 batters andGregg Zaun homered as the Toronto Blue Jays thumped the TampaBay Devil Rays, 7-2. Run support is something McGowan has not been getting all thatmuch of lately. Since August 11, the righthander had gone just1-3 with a 3.62 ERA despite not allowing any more than threeearned runs in any of those five starts in part, due to anoffense that has provided him a total of 10 runs. On Friday, McGowan (10-8) had the first double-digit strikeoutgame of his career, striking out two batters in four separateinnings, including five in a row between the sixth and eightinnings. The 25-year-old righthander yielded two runs and four hits overeight innings before giving way to reliever Jason Frasor in theninth to win consecutive starts for the first time since July19-24. After Devil Rays starter Edwin Jackson (4-14) held Torontohitless through 4 2/3 innings, Zaun scored a run as part of athree-run frame that gave McGowan as much run support as he hadreceived over the last two games combined. Zaun then capped a four-run sixth when he launched a three-runblast off Jackson over the right field fence for his ninth homerof the season and third in his last six games. Matt Stairs had an RBI in the fifth and sixth for the Blue Jays,who won consecutive road games for the second time in two weeksafter not being able to win back-to-back contests away from theRogers Centre since June 9-10. Jackson surrendered seven runs and seven hits over 5 2/3innings, marking two consecutive outings he has fallen short ofsix frames after eclipsing that mark in six straight starts. Akinori Iwamura and Carl Crawford each had a hit and an RBI forTampa Bay, which lost for just the fourth time in its last 14games.
AL: TORONTO at TAMPA BAY <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TORONTO (7) AT TAMPA BAY (2) - HOW THEY SCORED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TORONTO 5TH: T Glaus struck out swinging. L Overbay fouled out to left. A Hill singled to left. A Hill to second on wild pitch by E Jackson. G Zaun walked. J McDonald singled to left, A Hill scored, G Zaun to second. V Wells singled to center, G Zaun scored, J McDonald to third. M Stairs singled to right, J McDonald scored, V Wells to second. A Rios lined out to second. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3, TAMPA BAY 0. TORONTO 6TH: F Thomas flied out to right. T Glaus walked. L Overbay lined out to second. A Hill singled to left, T Glaus to second. G Zaun homered to right, T Glaus and A Hill scored. J McDonald doubled to center. S Dohmann relieved E Jackson. V Wells walked. M Stairs singled to right, J McDonald scored, V Wells out at home. (4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 0. TAMPA BAY 6TH: A Iwamura singled to left. C Crawford singled to center, A Iwamura to third. C Crawford stole second. A Iwamura scored, C Crawford to third on wild pitch by D McGowan. C Pena struck out swinging. B Upton hit sacrifice fly to right, C Crawford scored. D Young struck out swinging. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2.</div>
AL: TORONTO at TAMPA BAY <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TORONTO (7) AT TAMPA BAY (2) - EVENT LOG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Toronto Starting Lineups -- V Wells CF, M Stairs LF, A Rios RF, F Thomas DH, T Glaus 3B, L Overbay 1B, A Hill 2B, G Zaun C, J McDonald SS, D McGowan RHP. Tampa Bay Starting Lineups -- A Iwamura 3B, C Crawford LF, C Pena 1B, B Upton CF, D Young RF, B Harris 2B, J Gomes DH, J Wilson SS, J Paul C, E Jackson RHP. Umpires -- Angel Campos (HP), Ron Kulpa (1B), Paul Emmel (2B), Dan Iassogna (3B). Gametime Weather: INDOORS. TORONTO 1ST: V Wells flied out to right. M Stairs walked. A Rios struck out swinging. F Thomas struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TAMPA BAY 1ST: A Iwamura struck out swinging. C Crawford flied out to left. C Pena struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TORONTO 2ND: T Glaus lined out to center. L Overbay grounded out to second. A Hill lined out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TAMPA BAY 2ND: B Upton fouled out to first. D Young singled to left. B Harris struck out swinging. J Gomes walked, D Young to second. J Wilson grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TORONTO 3RD: G Zaun grounded out to second. J McDonald struck out swinging. V Wells struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TAMPA BAY 3RD: J Paul grounded out to third. A Iwamura grounded out to second. C Crawford flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TORONTO 4TH: M Stairs flied out to center. A Rios struck out swinging. F Thomas flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TAMPA BAY 4TH: C Pena flied out to center. B Upton grounded out to first. D Young grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, TAMPA BAY 0. TORONTO 5TH: T Glaus struck out swinging. L Overbay fouled out to left. A Hill singled to left. A Hill to second on wild pitch by E Jackson. G Zaun walked. J McDonald singled to left, A Hill scored, G Zaun to second. V Wells singled to center, G Zaun scored, J McDonald to third. M Stairs singled to right, J McDonald scored, V Wells to second. A Rios lined out to second. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3, TAMPA BAY 0. TAMPA BAY 5TH: B Harris grounded out to second. J Gomes struck out swinging. J Wilson reached on infield single to shortstop. J Paul struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3, TAMPA BAY 0. TORONTO 6TH: F Thomas flied out to right. T Glaus walked. L Overbay lined out to second. A Hill singled to left, T Glaus to second. G Zaun homered to right, T Glaus and A Hill scored. J McDonald doubled to center. S Dohmann relieved E Jackson. V Wells walked. M Stairs singled to right, J McDonald scored, V Wells out at home. (4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 0. TAMPA BAY 6TH: A Iwamura singled to left. C Crawford singled to center, A Iwamura to third. C Crawford stole second. A Iwamura scored, C Crawford to third on wild pitch by D McGowan. C Pena struck out swinging. B Upton hit sacrifice fly to right, C Crawford scored. D Young struck out swinging. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2. TORONTO 7TH: G Glover relieved S Dohmann. A Rios grounded out to third. F Thomas grounded out to shortstop. T Glaus popped out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2. TAMPA BAY 7TH: B Harris struck out swinging. J Gomes struck out swinging. J Wilson struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2. TORONTO 8TH: J Witasick relieved G Glover. L Overbay grounded out to first. A Hill grounded out to shortstop. G Zaun struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2. TAMPA BAY 8TH: J Paul struck out swinging. A Iwamura flied out to center. C Crawford struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2. TORONTO 9TH: B Stokes relieved J Witasick. J McDonald grounded out to second. V Wells fouled out to first. M Stairs lined out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2. TAMPA BAY 9TH: R Johnson in left field. J Frasor relieved D McGowan. C Pena flied out to center. B Upton struck out looking. D Young flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2.</div>
McGowan in fine form as Blue Jays cruise past Devil Rays <h3>TORONTO 7, TAMPA BAY 2</h3>ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Forgive Dustin McGowan ifhe was just a little surprised by his offense on Friday. Dustin McGowan struck out a career-high 12 batters and GreggZaun homered as the Toronto Blue Jays thumped the Tampa BayDevil Rays, 7-2. Run support is something McGowan has not been getting all thatmuch of lately. Since August 11, the righthander had gone just1-3 with a 3.62 ERA despite not allowing any more than threeearned runs in any of those five starts in part, due to anoffense that has provided him a total of 10 runs. On Friday, McGowan (10-8) had the first double-digit strikeoutgame of his career, striking out two batters in four separateinnings, including five in a row between the sixth and eightinnings. "He had it going tonight," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said."He had that slider going about as good as we have seen it allyear. He pitched a great ballgame. He had everything goingtonight." "I just attacked; we threw a lot of sliders," McGowan said."Zaun recognized it early and we stuck with it. You learnsomething each start. You learn more about the game and youlearn more about the hitters." The 25-year-old righthander yielded two runs and four hits overeight innings before giving way to reliever Jason Frasor in theninth to win consecutive starts for the first time since July19-24. "That's probably the best game I've seen thrown against us,"Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I was really impressedwith him. I tip my hat to him. He pitched really well." After Devil Rays starter Edwin Jackson (4-14) held Torontohitless through 4 2/3 innings, Zaun scored a run as part of athree-run frame that gave McGowan as much run support as he hadreceived over the last two games combined. Zaun then capped a four-run sixth when he launched a three-runblast off Jackson over the right field fence for his ninth homerof the season and third in his last six games. Matt Stairs had an RBI in the fifth and sixth for the Blue Jays,who won consecutive road games for the second time in two weeksafter not being able to win back-to-back contests away from theRogers Centre since June 9-10. Jackson surrendered seven runs and seven hits over 5 2/3innings, marking two consecutive outings he has fallen short ofsix frames after eclipsing that mark in six straight starts. "Jackson was good early," Gibbons said. "We just got to him.You can see him little by little he is coming into his own. Heis going to be a good one." Akinori Iwamura and Carl Crawford each had a hit and an RBI forTampa Bay, which lost for just the fourth time in its last 14games.
