TORONTO (CBC) - In his return to Philadelphia, Rod Barajas earned a measure of redemption.
The former Phillies catcher belted two home runs - including a second-inning grand slam - to help the visiting Toronto Blue Jays earn a 6-3 win over Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park.
That was enough offence to make a winner out of Toronto starting pitcher A.J. Burnett (4-4). The right-hander allowed two earned runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in 6 1/3 innings of work.
"I was just trying to mix it up, vary speeds and keep them off-balance as best I can," Burnett said.
Pinch-hitter Hector Luna scored Aaron Hill with a ninth-inning RBI single for an insurance run while B.J. Ryan pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his eighth save in as many opportunities this season for Blue Jays (22-23).
Gregg Dobbs hit an RBI double in the fourth and a two-run RBI double from Jimmy Rollins in the seventh inning accounted for all of Philadelphia's offence.
Adam Eaton (0-2) took the loss for Philadelphia (24-20), allowing four earned runs on eight hits in five innings of work. The unlucky starter's winless streak now stands at nine games this season, despite the Jays being thrown out at the plate three times plus once at second for good measure.
"Wrong things happen at the right time," Eaton said.
Barajas gets his revenge
Barajas signed a one-year deal with the Phillies last season after backing out of a deal with the Jays at the last minute. But after the catcher struggled at the plate and after Carlos Ruiz emerged as a better option, Barajas saw action in just 48 games.
After he failed to crouch low enough to block the plate on a slide from Florida's Hanley Ramirez in a game last May, Philadelphia's notoriously ruthless fans made him a target of boos for the remainder of the season.
"In the clubhouse, I loved the guys and I had a good relationship with everybody," Barajas said. "On the field, it was a different story. It's almost like you have 40,000 people rooting against you.
"That's not what you want. As a home player, you like to have your fans behind you."
Fast forward a season later and Barajas was back in Philadelphia and tying a career-high with five RBIs against his former club.
The grand slam was set up as Matt Stairs reached first after he was hit by a pitch from Eaton to lead off the second inning. Consecutive singles from Lyle Overbay and Marco Scutaro then set the table for Barajas, who belted his third career grand slam over the wall in right to give the Jays an early 4-0 lead.
As the Philadelphia boos rained down for a much different reason, Barajas enthusiastically slapped hands with coaches and teammates as he rounded the bases.
"People in [New] Jersey could hear the boos," Barajas said. "You hear that. You notice them. You don't let it bother you."
Phillies threaten in seventh
After Burnett was pulled in the seventh inning with one out and one aboard, Armando Benitez entered the game for Toronto and gave Philadelphia new life.
Benitez walked pinch-hitter Shane Victorino and then served up a two-run double to Rollins to cut the Jays' lead to just 4-3.
Rollins advanced to third on a passed ball but Benitez managed to strike out Jayson Werth before left-hander Scott Downs was called in.
Downs immediately hit Chase Utley on the left hand with a fastball, although it appeared that Utley had made an attempt to swing at the pitch. That drew the ire of Toronto manager John Gibbons, who was ejected for arguing the call.
But Downs managed to get Ryan Howard to line out to right field to end the threat.
Not satisfied with his first shot to the Phillies faithful, Barajas gave the Jays a two-run cushion with a solo-shot off reliever Tom Gordon in the ninth.
Toronto's lead climbed to 6-3 when first baseman Howard dropped a throw on Luna's infield single, allowing Hill to score from second.
With files from the Associated Press
Copyright © 2008 CBC