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TORONTO — Confidence is not something lacking in the oversized makeup of Frank Thomas, a notoriously slow starter who had only one hit in his first nine at-bats to begin the regular season.
And after getting ejected from Thursday's loss to the Yankees in New York for arguing a called third strike, an indignant Thomas opined he had no doubt he would bounce back to enjoy a fantastic season.
Frank talk from the Big Hurt, who has shown, at least in the last three games for the Toronto Blue Jays, he can walk the walk as well as he can talk the talk — even at 39.
The 6-foot-5, 275-pound designated hitter concluded his personal demolition of the Boston Red Sox Sunday at a joyous Rogers Centre, clubbing a grand-slam home run that helped lift the Jays to a satisfying 7-4 victory.
Toronto's Frank Thomas rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam home run off the first pitch of Boston Red Sox reliever Manny Delcarmen during the fifth inning. (J.P. Moczulski/CP)
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- Boston Red Sox
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Jeremy Accardo
- Josh Beckett
- Manny Delcarmen
- Jacoby Ellsbury
- Roy Halladay
- Jesse Litsch
- Mike Lowell
- Julio Lugo
- John McDonald
- Frank Thomas
- Jason Varitek
- Vernon Wells
- Kevin Youkilis
More importantly, the win gave the Jays a three-game sweep over their American League East rival, sending a message in the process that the division title race may be more than just a two-team affair in 2008.
"I hit it good," said Thomas, who went 4-for-12 including two home runs, a double and eight runs batted in during the series. "I was just happy it jumped off my bat.
"It was a big hit in a situation we needed it and especially with a series against these guys."
The big blast came off a first-pitch offering from relief pitcher Manny Delcarmen, who came in to face Thomas after Boston ace Josh Beckett had loaded the bases in the fifth inning with the score knotted at 2-2.
And as soon as the ball cracked off Thomas's bat, the crowd of 30,114 erupted in glee — and the din only grew louder as it sailed over the wall in deepest centre field for his 11th career grand slam.
Thomas was only too happy to provide a curtain call, emerging from the dugout to give the home crowd a smile and wave after the cheering continued unabated.
That brought the score to 6-2 and pretty much ensured the victory for the Blue Jays and earn Roy Halladay his first win of the season.
Halladay, making his second start of the year, lasted eight innings, allowing all four Boston runs off eight hits, including three solo homers by Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Varitek and J.D. Drew.
"The solo home runs are one thing you'd like to take back," Halladay said, adding he was otherwise pleased with his outing.
The loss was absorbed by Beckett, who was making his first start of the season.
Jeremy Accardo came on in the ninth inning for the Jays and allowed an infield hit to Mike Lowell and a single to Varitek with one out. Accardo regrouped to strike out Ellsbury and then got shortstop Julio Lugo to fly out to centre to earn his third save of the season.
Vernon Wells also stroked a two-run home run for Toronto, his second of the season.
The Blue Jays improved to 4-2. They started their season last week in New York, where they were competitive despite losing two of three games.
For manager John Gibbons it has been a great start to the season.
"The way we've pitched all six games, we had a chance to win all of them," he said. "That's all you can ask for."
The defending World Series champion Red Sox were not their normally competent selves, committing four errors Sunday, three by Lugo.
The Jays had some nervous moments in the eighth inning when shortstop John McDonald, rushing into the outfield to track down a high pop fly off the bat of Kevin Youkilis, collided with Wells in shallow right-centre.
The ball bounced in for a triple and McDonald lay on the field for several moments after getting the wind knocked out of him. He was able to continue in the game.
The Blue Jays had set themselves up for the series sweep with a 10-2 win on Saturday.
The home side, behind a solid start from Jesse Litsch, broke a tight game open in the sixth inning, when the offence erupted for six runs, including a two-run homer by Thomas.
"I'm still not out of it yet but I'll take what I'm doing right now, and that's producing runs," Thomas said of his slow start. He is hitting .238 after Sunday's game. "I'm in the five-hole [in the batting order] and that's what they should be looking for out of me.
"I hope to get on a really good roll and have a wonderful season."
