Blue Jays 8, Rangers 7
Brett Lawrie hit a walk-off home run to lead off the ninth as Toronto battled back from a five-run deficit to win the second of its three-game series with Texas.
After Francisco Cordero blew a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, Lawrie took a 3-2 pitch from Mike Adams deep to left-center which bounced off the top of the wall and over, giving the Blue Jays their third win in the last four games.
Kelly Johnson’s four RBIs paced the comeback for Toronto. A fielding error from Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus translated into a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh. Toronto capitalized by scoring three runs and took the lead on Johnson’s RBI single.
Johnson got the Blue Jays on the board with a three-run homer in the third. The next batter, Jose Bautista, smashed a solo shot into the second deck in left field to trim the lead to one.
Drew Hutchison gave up all five of his earned runs in the second, serving up seven hits and striking out five through six innings. Cordero (1-1), who was tagged with the blown save, also earned the win.
The Rangers, who posted a major-league best 17-6 record in April, opened May with a loss and have split wins and losses in their last six outings.
The Rangers, with two outs, recorded three straight hits and tied the
score 7-7 on Michael Young’s RBI single up the middle in the ninth.
Texas did most of its damage with a five-run second inning, punctuated by Ian Kinsler’s two-run double. Kinsler finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs.
Neftali Feliz allowed four runs on four hits while striking out four over five innings. Adams (0-1) was given the loss.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Josh Hamilton (back) and Adrian Beltre (hamstring) sat out. … Hutchison struck out the first four batters faced. … Omar Vizquel, who was not in Toronto’s lineup, was ejected for arguing balls and strikes from the dugout.