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Wild pitch helps Rangers outlast Blue Jays

Apr 17, 2008 - 6:14 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Frank Catalanotto homered and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the 14th inning as the Texas Rangers escaped with a 7-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Jason Botts homered and drove in three runs and Milton Bradley tied a franchise record with five walks for Texas, which snapped a five-game losing streak.

The Rangers ended the marathon game by rallying against A.J. Burnett, who was the last pitcher Toronto had available.

Burnett (1-1), who started on Sunday, allowed a leadoff single to Gerald Laird and a one-out double to Catalanotto. After a fielder's choice, Burnett bounced a breaking ball through the legs of catcher Gregg Zaun, allowing Catalanotto to score the go-ahead run.

Josh Hamilton, who drove in the Rangers' first run, then laced an RBI single to left field for a 7-5 lead.

Dustin Nippert (1-1), who allowed one hit in the 13th, picked up the win as C.J. Wilson threw a scoreless 14th for his fourth save of the season.

"It was tough and it was hard, but we needed a win like this," Laird told the Dallas Morning News. "A win like this, where everybody played and everybody did something, does a lot more for us than to just come out and blow somebody out."

"I think what we did tonight was the revealing of character," Rangers manager Ron Washington told the newspaper. "I think we got the monkey off our back."

Toronto trailed, 5-2, in the eighth before rallying against the Rangers' bullpen. The Blue Jays scored the tying runs on a throwing error by first baseman Ben Broussard.

Toronto cut the lead to 5-3 when Marco Scutaro drew a bases loaded walk off Joaquin Benoit. Joe Inglett then hit a ground to first base, but Broussard fired a throw to second that ended up in left field, allowing Lyle Overbay and Matt Stairs to score.

Botts, who hit a solo shot in the fourth, snapped a 2-2 tie in the sixth with a two-run double to center field off reliever Brian Tallet. Catalanotto added a solo homer off Jeremy Accardo in the eighth for a 5-2 lead.

Botts' first home run of the season in the fourth snapped a 1-1 tie. The Blue Jays tied it at 2-2 in the fifth as Aaron Hill drew a one-out walk and scored on a double to left-center by Alex Rios.