Kevin Millar singled home the winning run in the 11th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 8-7 on Wednesday night.
Vernon Wells walked to begin the 11th and went to second on Travis Snider's sacrifice bunt. Scott Rolen was walked intentionally and C.J. Wilson (0-2) was replaced by right-hander Darren O'Day, who was claimed on waivers from the New York Mets earlier in the day.
O'Day landed in Toronto at 9:45 p.m. and went directly to the stadium. He pitched wearing Kason Gabbard's jersey because there wasn't time to get him one of his own.
Millar greeted O'Day with a single over the drawn-in outfield, scoring Wells.
Toronto's Rod Barajas hit a pair of two-out, two-run homers to left, one in the second and another to almost the same spot in the fourth, the sixth multihomer game of his career. The homers were his first two of the season.
Jason Frasor (3-0) worked two scoreless innings for the victory.
Trailing 7-4, Texas tied it with a three-run ninth against struggling Toronto closer B.J. Ryan, who blew his second save. Chris Davis was hit on the wrist and Jarrod Saltalamacchia drew a four-pitch walk before Ian Kinsler grounded to shortstop. Aaron Hill's throwing error prevented Toronto for turning the double play, scoring Davis and sending Kinsler to second. Kinsler stole third and scored on pinch-hitter Josh Hamilton's grounder before Michael Young tied it with a solo homer to center, his fourth.
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Alex Rios had four hits for Toronto and drove in two runs with RBI singles in the fourth and sixth. Adam Lind hit an RBI single in the sixth for the Blue Jays.
Saltalamacchia hit a two-run single in the third, Young had an RBI double in the fifth and Marlon Byrd drove in a run on a fielder's choice in the eighth for Texas.
Ryan's ninth-inning struggles cost left-hander David Purcey his first win of the season. Purcey allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings. He walked a season-low two and struck out six.
Rangers left-hander Matt Harrison gave up five runs and nine hits in four innings, raising his ERA to 8.59. He walked two and struck out one.
Andruw Jones stayed in the game to run the bases after bruising his right knee when he jumped over Millar at first on an infield single in the eighth. David Murphy replaced Jones in left field in the bottom half.
Rangers reliever Willie Eyre had to leave the game midway through Barajas' at-bat in the 10th because of a tight groin. He was replaced by Wilson.
Notes:@ Toronto's Jose Bautista matched a career high with four hits. ... Hamilton was held out of the starting lineup after injuring his ribs crashing into the outfield wall on Tuesday. ... Texas RHP Kris Benson was placed on the 15-day DL with elbow tendinitis. RHP Scott Feldman will start in Benson's place Saturday at Baltimore. ... The Rangers moved RHP Dustin Nippert (back) from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL to make room on the roster for O'Day. ... Umpire Kerwin Danley has been released from hospital after being hit in the face by a broken bat Wednesday and leaving the field on a stretcher. Danley will remain in Toronto until the symptoms of a "powerful headache" subside, crew chief Dana DeMuth said, then go to MLB's medical center in Arizona for further tests. ... Toronto Raptors forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu attended the game.
