Hank Blalock and Michael Young each hit two-run homers, while Chris Young delivered his first strong start of the season as the hometown Rangers held on for a 6-5 victory at Ameriquest Field in Arlington on Sunday.
Young (1-1) yielded four runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out six. Francisco Cordero worked the ninth for his fifth save of the season.
Shea Hillenbrand went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored for the Blue Jays, who lost for only the third time in their last nine outings and picked up a series split with the Rangers.
Toronto Blue Jays' shortstop Russ Adams waits for the ball as Texas Rangers' Kevin Mench slides into second during a steal attempt in the fifth inning. (AP Photo/David Pellerin)
"We haven't been blown out of a game yet," Hillenbrand said. "We feel good about ourselves."
It looked like it was going to be a runaway victory for the Rangers.
After getting shut out by the Jays on Saturday, Texas hitters took their frustration out on starter Josh Towers and the Rangers had a 6-0 lead after two innings.
Towers (1-1), who pitched very well in his first two starts of the season, took a seat on the bench after allowing six runs on eight hits.
"Pitches were flat, I was up in the zone," said Towers, whose earned-run average soared to 5.52 from 2.13. "Everybody in the big leagues is going to hit those pitches I threw up there."
The Rangers' pitching staff has never been good at keeping runs off the board this season and this game was no exception.
Young was cruising through the Blue Jays – allowing just one run in the fourth – until he ran into trouble in the sixth inning.
Singles by Reed Johnson and Hillenbrand and a bases-loaded walk to Frank Menechino cut the Rangers' lead to 6-4.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons inserted John McDonald to pinch-hit for Russ Adams, but he could not keep the rally going and struck out.
Toronto continued to inch closer in the seventh as Hillenbrand delivered a two-out single and scored on Corey Koskie's double to the wall in centre field. The Blue Jays did eventually put runners on the corners, but could not get any more runs in the frame.
In the eighth, Toronto had a runner on second with one out, but McDonald lined out to second and Gregg Zaun was doubled up on the play to end the threat.
But that's as close as the Jays would get, as Cordero came up to deliver a 1-2-3 ninth.
Next up on the Jays' schedule is a brief two-game series in Boston starting Monday at 11:05 a.m. ET.
with files from Sports Network
