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Blue Jays look to rebound behind McGowan

Apr 9, 2008 - 1:05 PM Oakland (4-4) at Toronto (4-3) 7:07 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) - Dustin McGowan aims to help the Toronto Blue Jays get back on track Wednesday in the middle game of a three-game series with the Oakland Athletics.

Toronto entered Tuesday's series opener riding the momentum of a weekend sweep of the defending champion Boston Red Sox.

However, Ryan Sweeney hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the ninth inning and Huston Street picked up his first save of the season as the A's posted a 9-8 victory.

Toronto had more than enough offense - Frank Thomas blasted a game-tying, two-run shot in the eighth and Vernon Wells added a three-run homer.

But the Blue Jays could not overcome poor pitching. A.J. Burnett allowed six runs and 10 hits in just 4 2/3 innings and Jeremy Accardo allowed the decisive blow to Sweeney.

McGowan (0-0, 3.00 ERA) looks to provide Toronto with a better pitching performance. Battling the flu, the righthander allowed two runs and four hits in six innings but did not factor into a 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Thursday.

Greg Smith will take the hill for Oakland in his major league debut.

The lefthander has been called upon in place of the injured Justin Duchscherer, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday with a strained right biceps.

Smith, one of six players acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Dan Haren trade, went 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA in 22 games with Class AA Mobile and Class AAA Tucson.