Tulowitzki homers in debut for Blue Jays

(The Sports Xchange) - Troy Tulowitzki was greeted by a standing ovation when he stepped to the plate for the first time as a Toronto Blue Jay in the first inning on Wednesday. After striking out in his first at-bat, the team's new shortstop gave the Rogers Centre crowd plenty to cheer about with a homer, two doubles and three RBIs in the Blue Jays' 8-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies, who are 9-2 since the All-Star break, had their five-game winning streak ended. Tulowitzki hit a two-run homer in the third inning to snap a 0-for-21 hitless streak that he brought with him after the Rockies traded him to the Blue Jays as part of a six-player deal Tuesday. Shortstop Jose Reyes went to Colorado in the swap. "The ovation from the crowd that first at-bat was obviously special," Tulowitzki said. "I think it made my at-bat that much harder. I settled down. It was nice to give us the lead and win a game. "I was nervous going into the game, no doubt about it. First time I wore a different uniform. Looking down and seeing blue was a little bit different for me." Toronto right-hander R.A. Dickey (5-10) allowed seven hits and two unearned runs in eight innings for his second consecutive win. "He's a perennial All-Star, you kind of know what you're getting," Dickey said of Tulowitzki. "There was a great play that he made, a fantastic play (in the third). "The offense, you know that's what he's capable of doing. To have a double-edged knife like that, it's nice to turn around and look and see that." Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams (3-8) allowed 10 hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings. It was his second start since coming off the disabled list with a strained hamstring. "I got the ball where I wanted to put it, and they were finding holes," Williams said. "You just have to take it and come back next time." "I didn't expect Jerome to be real sharp," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He pitched pretty well considering he hasn't pitched in a while. He threw too many hittable pitches. He was OK, he just wasn't sharp. "Tonight is about Tulowitzki. What a great first impression." (Editing by Julian Linden)