Jays feeling grand after sweeping Sox

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays aren't about to start taking the Red Sox for granted. An early-season sweep over last season's World Series champions is a great accomplishment for Toronto, but it's only fair to consider the circumstances.
Since leaving their Spring Training site in Florida, the Red Sox have endured the first three-country road trip in Major League history, logging nearly 16,000 miles in the air over an 18-day span that included stops in Japan, California and Canada. On Sunday, Toronto claimed a 7-4 victory at Rogers Centre, sending Boston home on the heels of a three-game drubbing.
"I think we all know that they're going to be a better team when we're facing them in the middle of the year," Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay said. "But we'll take [the wins] any time."
Halladay (1-1) earned his first victory of the season against the road-weary Red Sox, receiving a lump of support in the form of two critical home runs. Designated hitter Frank Thomas continued on his recent tear, launching a game-changing grand slam, and center fielder Vernon Wells added a two-run shot that jumpstarted the Jays' offense.
Similar to the first two wins of the weekend series against the Red Sox, the Blue Jays (4-2) found a variety of ways to take advantage of Boston mistakes. Toronto's hitters chased Boston ace Josh Beckett from the game before the end of the fifth inning, and Halladay teamed with closer Jeremy Accardo to limit the damage done by the Sox (3-4).
"Most importantly, guys have just come up big," Halladay said. "We haven't had a lot of chances, but when we do get a chance, we seem to capitalize on it. That's going to be important for us all year. If we can continue to do that and take what's given to us and capitalize on it, that's all you can ask for."
Beckett, who was making his first start of the season, handled the Blue Jays through three innings, but the right-hander began to unravel in the fourth. Beckett (0-1) walked Alex Rios and then watched Wells deposit a 2-2 curveball into the left-field stands for a two-run homer, giving Toronto a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth inning, Beckett issued a pair of two-out walks to load the bases, prompting Boston manager Terry Francona to turn to reliever Manny Delcarmen. With the score tied at 2, Thomas sent the first pitch he saw from Delcarmen deep to left for a grand slam, putting the game out of Boston's reach.
"I hit it good. I'm just happy it jumped off my bat," Thomas said. "It was a big hit in a situation that we needed it, especially in a series with these guys: the defending World Series champions. They were the best team of the league last year, and we wanted to just come out today and show people that we are for real."
Thomas' blast was more than enough cushion for Halladay, who turned in eight innings and finished with six strikeouts. The right-hander uncharacteristically surrendered a trio of home runs, matching a career high, but each were of the solo variety. Halladay yielded a fourth run to the Red Sox in the eighth inning, but only after a pair of Blue Jays fielders escaped a scary collision unscathed.
One play after shortstop John McDonald made an incredible diving grab up the middle on an groundout by Dustin Pedroia, Boston's Kevin Youkilis lofted a pitch from Halladay into the right-center-field gap. McDonald sprinted back for the ball and collided at full speed with Wells, sending both fielders crashing to the turf.
"I thought I had one of the only plays on the ball," McDonald said. "I was listening as I was running and I had to look back at the ball, and all I was trying to do was try to catch it and make sure Vernon didn't call it. I think we both called it at the exact same time."
Wells stood up slowly, but McDonald remained on the ground while Youkilis sprinted around the bases for an unusual triple -- later scoring on a single by David Ortiz. After a visit from Toronto's trainers, McDonald, who just had the wind knocked out of him, got back up and both he and Wells remained in the game.
"It happens," said Wells, who indicated that he didn't remember the collision. "That's the first time it's ever happened to me, and probably one of the few times it's ever happened to him. It was one of those in-between balls where we're both going after it hard, and luckily nobody was too hurt after the play.
"I just had a little headache -- that was about it."
That was good news, considering Wells is an integral part of the Blue Jays' offense, which was firing on all cylinders against the Red Sox -- a team Toronto needs to play well against if it wants to make a serious run at the American League East crown this year.
The early results are promising.
"We've got a good team this year," Thomas said. "We got off to such a bad start last year -- everybody -- and dug ourselves a hole. I know they swept us early last year, and it feels good to be able to do the same thing [to them] this year."