Sep 18, 2007, 1:58 GMT
Toronto, ON - Frank Thomas hit three home runs and drove in five to pace Toronto past Boston, 6-1, in the opener of a three-game set at Rogers Centre.
Thomas now has 512 career homers, surpassing Mel Ott and tying Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews for 18th on the all-time list. He has hit 40 home runs off Red Sox pitching, the most among active players.
Aaron Hill and John McDonald added two hits each for the Blue Jays, who have won three of five. Vernon Wells knocked in the other run.
Dustin McGowan (11-9) struck out nine and scattered five hits and one run in the victory, his third in the last four starts. It was also his second complete-game win this season after besting Colorado on June 24.
Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield (16-11) allowed four hits on seven runs over six full frames, striking out two, walking two and giving up a pair of home runs. The veteran knuckleballer had not lost in his previous five outings.
Mike Lowell had an RBI double for the Red Sox, who have dropped three of four and saw their AL East lead shrink to 3 1/2 games coupled with the Yankees' 8-5 win over the Orioles.
Thomas' two-run blast to left-center, his 23rd of the season, put the Jays up 2-0 in the first.
In the fourth, the Sox put a run on the board. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a single, moved to second on a groundout, then scored on Lowell's double just out of Adam Lind's reach at the left-field wall.
Russ Adams drew a one-out walk in the home fifth, stole second and went to third on McDonald's infield single. He scored when Wells beat a potential double-play ball that was slowed as it ticked off Wakefield's glove. Matt Stairs followed with a single, but Wells was thrown out at third to end the inning.
Another Thomas blast, off the left-field foul screen, gave the Jays a 4-1 lead in the sixth.
Wells made an over-the-head basket catch on Eric Hinske's ball to deep center in the eighth, preventing a baserunner who could have scored when Alex Cora sliced a double with two outs. However, McGowan got pinch-hitter Brandon Moss swinging to end the frame.
Thomas struck again in the home half against Kyle Snyder. This one, another two-run shot, boosted Toronto's advantage to 6-1.
Ellsbury began the ninth with a sinking single to center, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch the hit. Dustin Pedroia singled but McGowan finished off the game by retiring Lowell and David Ortiz.
Game Notes
It was Thomas' fourth multi-homer game of the season and the 33rd of his career...Alex Rodriguez is 17th on the list with 516 home runs...Thomas had only one other three-homer game, September 15, 1996 off Wakefield in Boston as a member of the Chicago White Sox...Despite the loss, Boston leads the season series, 9-7...Kevin Cash got the start behind the plate instead of Doug Mirabelli, Wakefield's usual personal catcher...Blue Jays third-baseman Troy Glaus had surgery on his left foot Monday, and the club announced that first- baseman Lyle Overbay will undergo a procedure next week to remove screws from his right hand...Attendance was 29,316.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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