Big Unit Can’t Hold 4-Run Lead As Jays Come Back To Top Yanks

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The New York Sun

TORONTO – Randy Johnson failed to hold a four-run lead and was chased in the fourth inning of the Toronto Blue Jays’ 10-5 victory over the Yankees last night.


Troy Glaus homered twice and Alex Rios tied a career high with four RBI for the Blue Jays.


helping Johnson (2-2) to a 4-0 lead – but the Big Unit allowed seven runs and nine hits in just 3.1 innings.


Johnson lasted just five innings in his last start, raising some concerns about his health.


Glaus went 3-for-4 with three RBI and scored three runs for the Blue Jays, who spent the offseason remaking their roster in the hopes of finally competing with New York.


Right fielder Gary Sheffield drew jeers in the seventh when he dropped a fly ball for error, allowing Bengie Molina to reach.


Molina later scored on Shawn Chacon’s wild pitch, giving Toronto a 10-5 lead.


Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi hit back-to-back homers in the first for New York – Rios platoons with Eric Hinske in right, but he’s making a case to play every day. His two-run drive off Johnson in the second gave Toronto a 6-4 lead.


Rios is 6-for-11 in his career against Johnson. The 25-year-old is among the league leaders with a .395 average and has five home runs.


Toronto starter Gustavo Chacin (3-0) settled down after allowing four runs in the first. He gave up five runs and seven hits, while striking out three and walking one in six innings. The 25-year-old was one of a record seven Venezuelan pitchers starting in the majors last night.


Glaus hit a two-run homer off Johnson in the first and a solo drive off Chacon in seventh – the 19th multihomer game of his career and his first since September 11, 2005, at Colorado.


Derek Jeter tripled in the first and scored on Sheffield’s RBI single. Rodriguez and Giambi followed with homers on consecutive pitches, giving New York a 4-0 lead.


Johnson, however, allowed Reed Johnson to single in the bottom half and score on Rios’s RBI double. One batter later, Glaus homered into the second deck in left – cutting the lead to 4-3.


Toronto’s Lyle Overbay led off the second with a single and advanced to third on Aaron Hill’s double. Overbay scored on John McDonald’s sacrifice fly. One batter later, Rios homered to left to give Toronto the lead for good.


Johnson was late going to first on a grounder to first baseman Giambi in the third and Giambi threw over the head of the pitcher for an error, allowing Molina to score Toronto’s seventh run.


Rios’s sacrifice fly in the sixth gave Toronto a 8-4 lead.


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