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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.
"That's a big lift until we really get our offence rolling again," Jays manager John Gibbons said of McGowan. "That's what good ones do and he's coming into his own."
The Blue Jays' Alex Rios crosses home plate after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers Saturday in Toronto. The Jays snapped a six-game home losing skid with a 3-2 victory. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)
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The victory came hours after designated hitter Frank Thomas was relegated to the bench for the next while during a morning meeting with 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.
Thomas didn't join his teammates for post-game handshakes on the field after the final out.
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.
"Dustin has to realize that he has probably some of the best stuff in baseball," said second baseman Aaron Hill, who doubled and scored the winning run. "I don't think he believes it yet, but he's going to be so good."
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. He allowed runners to reach in all but one of his innings.
"Damage control," said the soft-spoken McGowan. "That seems to be the word always used with me and I did a pretty good job of it today."
Scott Downs threw a scoreless eighth and B.J. Ryan closed things out in a nervous ninth for his second save since coming back from Tommy John surgery. In between striking out the side, Ryan allowed runners to reach first and third.
"Each time he goes out there you can tell he's getting a little bit better feel for it," said McGowan, who also underwent Tommy John surgery. "When he gets all the way back it's going to be tough."
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 Hill doubled and scored after third baseman Miguel Cabrera booted a Vernon Wells grounder.
"That ended up being a huge inning," said Hill. "With these guys, they let that game slip away. We had our chances and we definitely should have had more runs."
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.
"You gamble there," said Gibbons. "One of these days we'll get one."
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.
