Romero, featured in the current edition of USA Today's Sports Weekly, proved worthy of the hype by striking out a dozen Texans and getting seven groundouts as he faced just 32 batters. The East L.A. lefty had lots of fun with Josh Hamilton and Michael Young by striking them out a combined seven times. Hamilton had the golden sombrero while Young swung and missed for the hat trick. Romero allowed just five singles and a walk and picked off Nelson Cruz trying to steal second in the second inning. Cruz was also thrown out trying to steal second by Jose Molina. Romero improves to 4-1 on the season with an earned run average of 2.88. He did throw one wild pitch but wound up with 81 strikes in a 116 pitch effort. Scott Feldman took the loss by giving up five runs in 7 1/3 innings.
The Jays scored the only run they would need in the first when Fred Lewis doubled off Feldman and he later came home on a wall-banging single by Adam Lind down the right field line. Jose Bautista took over from there by homering in the fifth and singling home a single from Lyle Overbay in the sixth. Bautista went deep again by greeting reliever Darren O'Day with a three-run shot to cash home a Vernon Wells triple and an Alex Gonzalez walk. It was a five RBI day for Bautista, who has nine homers on the season.
Everyone got a hit except for DH Randy Ruiz and Mike McCoy but he didn't have a chance to swing the bat. He entered the game as a defensive replacement for Adam Lind in left in the eighth inning. McCoy was also used as a defensive replacement for Travis Snider in right field Friday night and it was later reported Snider had a sore wrist. Let's hope Lind is not hurt as well and that Snider can return to the lineup today.
This afternoon, the Jays hope the good Brandon Morrow shows up as they go for the sweep against Texas. Morrow (2-2, 6.69), who had a brutal outing in Boston his last time out, will pitch against Colby Lewis (3-1, 3.15). The first pitch will be thrown at 1:07 p.m. ET.
Around the majors.....
- The Reds beat the Cards in a thriller to mark the Civil Rights game.
- The Tigers pull one out in extra innings against the Red Sox.
- The Dodgers win their sixth in a row by beating the Padres.
- Phillies closer Brad Lidge hits the DL as the Jose Contreras closer era begins.
- The Yankees continue to own the Twins.
- The Rays beat the M's in the bottom of the ninth.
- The Tribe stuns the O's.
- The Pirates pop the Cubs yet again.
