Blue Jays hammer Royals in home opener
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 | 12:32 AM ET
CBC Sports
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher A.J. Burnett made amends for last week's horrendous outing with a brilliant outing in Monday's home opener.
Burnett scattered three hits over 6 2/3 innings as the Blue Jays downed the Kansas City Royals 9-1 in front of 50,125 fans at the Rogers Centre.
A.J. Burnett delivers a pitch to Mark Teahen in Monday's 9-1 Jays win.
(Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
The hard-throwing right-hander surrendered a solo home run to John Buck, but that was it.
"He definitely shut us down tonight," Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney said. "He showed that with him and Doc [Roy Halladay] they have probably one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball."
Burnett (1-1) struck out five and walked three before being relieved by Scott Downs with two outs in the seventh inning.
"It was a battle early," Burnett said. "But when our guys come up and swinging like they did, it lifts us up so much.
"It is fun. You got a packed house, it's opening day, emotions are running high and we came out with the W, which is all that really matters."
Burnett was bombed for six runs in two innings in a 10-9 loss to the Detroit Tigers last Wednesday — his shortest start since June 30, 2004.
"It was more the hype and adrenalin and coming out just firing, as opposed to taking a step back and relaxing," Burnett said.
Vernon Wells homered for the second time in as many games for the Blue Jays (4-2).
"We can score runs from top to bottom in our lineup," he said. "It takes the pressure off our pitching."
Lyle Overbay drove in three runs, while Aaron Hill had three hits and two runs batted in.
Reed Johnson and Gregg Zaun had the other RBIs as Toronto pounded out 14 hits.
"You expect it from our guys," Burnett said. "I hate to say that, but we expect to get four or five runs a game."
"The thing that is going to be important for this lineup is to score runs from top to bottom," Wells figured. "That's what we were able to do tonight and, if we can do that, we have the potential to win a lot of games."
Kansas City starter Odalis Perez (0-2) lasted only 1 1/3 innings for the Royals (2-5), allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk.
Perez pasted early
Perez was pasted for four runs in the bottom of the second inning when Hill singled, Zaun doubled and Royce Clayton walked to load the bases for Johnson, who singled softly to left field for one run.
Overbay stepped to the plate and cleared the bases with a ground-rule double to right that was scooped up by a fan, prompting a heated exchange between Royals manager Buddy Bell and chief umpire Gerry Davis.
Ground-rule doubles normally restrict runners to two bases, but plate umpire Rick Nauret ruled that Johnson would have scored easily from first base, so awarded the third run.
Bell argued vehemently with Davis and was ejected.
"Gerry said the runner was standing on third base when the fan touched the ball and I didn't see it that way," Bell said.
Wells increased it 5-0 in the fourth with a solo homer to left off reliever Jason Standridge, his second in as many games.
Glaus led off the fifth with a walk, moved to second base on a single from Alex Rios and scored on Hill's RBI double down the line in left.
Rookie Ryan Braun of Kitchener, Ont., relieved Standridge and swiftly conceded an RBI groundout to Zaun, then uncorked a wild pitch that brought Hill home with Toronto's eighth run.
Buck's second homer of the season spoiled Burnett's shutout bid in the top of the seventh, but Hill responded by doubling in Rios to complete the scoring.
"It wasn't a real pretty game, that's for sure," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "But it came out the right way."
With files from Sports Network
