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TORONTO — Reed Johnson might want to send a thank-you card to Toronto Blue Jays shortstop David Eckstein for giving him the chance to experience a career highlight.
An error on a tough play for Eckstein with two out in the second inning opened the door for Johnson and the former Jays left-fielder made his old team pay, clubbing a three-run home run off Roy Halladay that propelled his Chicago Cubs to a 6-2 win over Toronto on Saturday.
Given a standing ovation when pinch-hitting Friday, Johnson heard more cheers from the 34,048 at the Rogers Centre after his third homer of the season gave the major league-leading Cubs (44-25) a 4-0 lead, an edge they wouldn't relinquish.
Jays centre-fielder Vernon Wells said the only other returning teammate who he had seen receive such a loud ovation was Carlos Delgado.
Chicago Cubs batter Reed Johnson runs the bases after a three-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning on Saturday. (Mike Cassese/Reuters)
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- Chicago Cubs
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Rod Barajas
- Ronny Cedeno
- Carlos Delgado
- David Eckstein
- Roy Halladay
- Joe Inglett
- Reed Johnson
- Ted Lilly
- Jesse Litsch
- Carlos Marmol
- Jason Marquis
- Lyle Overbay
- Alex Rios
- Scott Rolen
- Matt Stairs
- Shannon Stewart
- Brian Tallet
- Vernon Wells
- Gregg Zaun
"It was great," said Johnson, released by the Blue Jays prior to the season after the team decided to keep Shannon Stewart in a bid to add more offence. "I had a lot of good memories here in Toronto and that's just one more to the collection. It's something I'll never forget. I wish my wife and my family could have been here to see it.
"I expected people to stand up and clap, but I didn't know it was going to be as special as that."
With Halladay's first loss since May 9 in his shortest start of the year (five innings), Toronto (35-35) fell to .500 for the 13th time this season.
Meanwhile, the wobbly Jays offence managed just four hits in seven-plus innings against Cubs starter Jason Marquis (5-3) as Toronto lost for the ninth time in the past 13 games.
While Halladay and Jays manager John Gibbons didn't throw Eckstein under the bus after he couldn't field a well-hit grounder from Ronny Cedeno, the shortstop undoubtedly wishes he could have another shot.
With runners on first and third, Eckstein made a good break on the ball to his left and went to his knees, but couldn't field it cleanly and Chicago scored the game's first run.
Two pitches later, Johnson unloaded on Halladay's fastball.
Originally ruled a hit, the Eckstein bobble was changed to a team-leading eighth error for the first-year Jay, meaning all four runs in the second were unearned.
"Some things you can't control as a pitcher," Halladay (8-6) said. "I've got to worry about my job and I just didn't make a quality pitch after that.
"[The pitch to Johnson caught] just too much of the plate. For his approach, his type of swing, anything that he gets down and in that's not in enough is going to hurt you."
Halladay gave up two earned runs to give the Cubs a 6-0 lead — though the defence was shaky again in the fifth when first baseman Lyle Overbay bounced a poor throw to catcher Rod Barajas in a failed attempt to try to cut off a run.
The Cubs did a nice job extending at-bats against Halladay, and he was replaced by Brian Tallet after five innings and 95 pitches.
"You get yourself to a high pitch count pretty quick," Halladay said. "They did a good job of that. You've got to work for outs. Teams like that can be tough."
Marquis allowed just one hit in seven innings before he finally got into a jam in the eighth, loading the bases with no out. But sharp reliever Carlos Marmol then came in and held the Jays to just one run, walking Fredericton's Matt Stairs after striking out Joe Inglett and Alex Rios. The inning ended when Scott Rolen flew out to second.
The Jays managed one more run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Overbay.
In the end, the Jays were left singing the praises of an old friend.
"You see a lot of guys when they come back to their old stomping grounds, they're feeling good and they play well," Gibbons said of Johnson. "You know he had to feel good about it. They gave him a nice ovation. It was well-deserved. He was a good part of this team for a number of years.
"The fans love him, his teammates love him. You can't help but love him. He does everything the right way."
Notes: Wells was pulled from the game after he felt pain in the right wrist he broke last month after a swing in the seventh inning, but said he expects to play Sunday. "[The trainers] checked him out and they don't feel it's anything big," Gibbons said. ... The Jays hope to have C Gregg Zaun (elbow) back Sunday. He was expected to make a rehab appearance with triple-A Syracuse Saturday nights after that team had rainouts the past two days. ... Buffalo Bills star wide receiver Lee Evans, whose team will play an exhibition and regular season game at the Rogers Centre this season, had a front-row seat for Saturday's game. ... Left-hander Ted Lilly (6-5, 5.13 ERA), who signed with the Cubs last season after three years in Toronto, makes his first appearance at the Rogers Centre with his new team Sunday when he starts against Jesse Litsch (7-2, 3.42) in the series finale.
