ARLINGTON, Texas — Once the Toronto Blue Jays started scoring runs, the daunting task of facing the Texas offense became a little easier for Brian Tallet.
Tallet and two relievers combined for a two-hitter, Adam Lind homered and the Blue Jays beat the Rangers 9-0 Tuesday night.
Toronto gave Tallet a 4-0 cushion in the second to help the left-hander silence a Rangers team that is second in the majors with 89 home runs
“Without a doubt, getting four runs in the second inning was big.” Tallet said.” After that you can say, ‘Here it is.’ Let them hit and let your defense do the work. Then they just kept tacking on the runs. By the seventh inning, I was on cruise control.”
Tallet (4-3) went seven innings to match the longest start of his career. He walked two, struck out three and retired the last eight batters he faced to win for the second time in three starts. Dirk Hayhurst and B.J. Ryan each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
Tallet has pitched at least six innings in eight consecutive outings.
“He pitched a great game,” Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. “To hold that team down without a score is really good.”
Lind, who hit two homers and drove in four runs in Toronto’s 6-3 victory Monday, had a solo shot in the fifth. He is 20 for 45 his last 11 games.
Aaron Hill hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and Scott Rolen went 3 for 4. Rolen is 6 for 8 in the first two games of the series against the Rangers.
The Blue Jays, who lost a nine a row on the road coming into the series, posted their fifth shutout of the season.
“If you have to depend on one or two guys every night to hit, it’s tough,” Gaston said. “It was a team win.”
Doug Mathis (0-1) gave up five runs and seven hits over five innings in his first start of the season. The right-hander replaced Brandon McCarthy, who was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a stress fracture in his right shoulder blade.
Mathis had a spotless first before struggling in the second. He walked two batters and threw 35 pitches in the inning.
“I didn’t help myself,” said Mathis, who finished with 98 pitches. “I fell behind too many guys. I can’t blame anyone else for that.”
The first-place Rangers were shut out for the third time this season and lost its third in a row at home for the first time this season. Boston’s Jon Lester threw a two-hitter against Texas on Saturday, and the Rangers were held to one hit by Detroit on May 19.
Tallet allowed a double to Brandon Boggs in the second and single to Chris Davis in the fourth. Toronto pitchers retired the last 14 Rangers hitters.
“It was a frustrating night,” said Texas designated hitter Andruw Jones, who was 0 for 4. “The balls were disappearing. (Tallet) pitched like Tom Glavine.”
Vernon Wells led off the second with a triple over center fielder Marlon Byrd’s head and scored on Lind’s ground out.
After consecutive walks, Kevin Millar had an RBI single to make it 2-0.
Marco Scutaro capped the scoring in the second with a bases-loaded single that brought in two runs and stretched Toronto’s lead to 4-0.
Lind hit a one-out home run in the fifth off Mathis, who made his fifth career start, that barely cleared the 14-foot fence in left field. It was his fifth homer in five games.
In the seventh, Rolen doubled in Wells and scored on Lyle Overbay’s single.
Overbay has a 15-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in the majors.
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