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Stairs, Lind power Blue Jays past Devil Rays

Sep 29, 2007 - 3:56 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Matt Stairs and Adam Lind homered to help the Toronto Blue Jays rally for a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in Friday's weekend series opener.

Toronto trailed, 3-1, in the fifth inning before Stairs belted his 21st blast over the right field fence against rookie Andy Sonnanstine to make it a one-run contest.

An inning later, Frank Thomas doubled and came home on Aaron Hill's game-tying RBI double to chase Sonnanstine (6-10) in favor of reliever Jon Switzer, who gave up the go-ahead two-run homer to Lind on the first pitch.

"(Lind) hit a hanging slider," Switzer said. "It was just a bad pitch. He got it and did what he's supposed to do."

"I felt good about (the lefthander) Switzer coming in on Lind," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "It was all right there for us, but (Toronto) foiled the plan."

The home run was Lind's 10th and his eighth blast at the Rogers Centre.

"I was just looking for something out over the plate and get (Hill) over to third base with less than two outs," Lind said. "I'm just trying to have patience and wait for my pitch. Any home run is kind of cool."

Toronto's Dustin McGowan (12-10) went six-plus innings for the win, giving up four runs and six hits with six strikeouts.

"A win's always good to finish the season off," said McGowan, who has a 1.97 ERA in his last nine home starts. "I'm very pleased with what I've done this year. I think I've made some big strides."

Two Blue Jays relievers bridged the gap to closer Jeremy Accardo, who registered the final three outs in the ninth for his 30th save.

"I just hear that (30 saves) is a big number," Accardo said. "It doesn't mean that much to me, but it's a nice thing to accomplish especially the way the season's gone."

Thomas opened the scoring in the fourth with his RBI single to plate Alex Rios, who doubled to lead off the frame.

The 24-year-old Sonnanstine surrendered four runs and six hits with four strikeouts through five-plus frames.

"I feel like the first time through the lineup I'm cruising, and then the next time through I'm really getting hurt," Sonnanstine said. "I really need to mix it up or do something different."

"He was going along rather well and then they had that inning there," Maddon said. "We did a lot of things well, but there were certain things we didn't do well and they beat us."

Jorge Velandia hit a two-run shot and Carlos Pena added his 45th homer during a three-run fifth for the Devil Rays, who dropped their third straight outing.