Toronto Blue Jays Vernon Wells, left, is congratulated by teammate Edwin Encarnacion after hitting a home run against the Texas Rangers in the ninth inning of their MLB baseball game in Arlington, Tex.STR
The Toronto Blue Jays have completed their first series of the Major League Baseball season, and here is what we know so far:
The starting pitching, a real concern heading in, has been up to the task, with three quality starts to begin the year.
And Vernon Wells continues to be the real deal at the plate.
The Toronto centre fielder cranked his fourth home run of the young season, keying a three-run ninth inning that lifted the Blue Jays to a 3-1 victory yesterday over the shell-shocked Texas Rangers.
The Blue Jays departed Texas an energized group, having taken two of three from a team many expect will be heard from in the American League West before the year has concluded. And Wells left his home state as the first Toronto player to begin a year with homers in each of the first three games.
"He's been awesome, just absolutely great," Jays manager Cito Gaston said of Wells's start. "Just what we needed."
Wells, who has been roundly criticized for three anemic seasons after he was rewarded with a huge 7-year, $126-million (U.S.) contract extension following the 2006 season, has responded in a big way in 2010.
Playing in front of family and friends in the city he grew up in, Wells settled in at the plate to go 6-for-10 with four home runs and seven runs batted in - half the total runs the Blue Jays accrued in the three-game series.
Wells, who has battled through a myriad of injuries the last three seasons and is now finally fit, said it has been the most fun he has had at the ballpark in quite some time.
"It's cool to hit homers, but I'm not going to hit homers all year long like that," the ever-pragmatic Wells said. "So I'm going to enjoy them while they come."
Ricky Romero, for one, was glad to see Wells continue his hot hitting.
On the heels of excellent starting performances by Shaun Marcum and Brian Tallet in Toronto's first two contests, the Jays left-hander pitched a whale of a game in his first outing of 2010, going seven innings and holding the Rangers' big sticks to just five hits while striking out four.
But Romero would depart with a bad taste in his mouth after he was charged with a wild pitch in the seventh inning, that allowed David Murphy to stroll home from third base to provide Texas with a 1-0 lead.
Wells took matters into his hands after that, taking a 1-1 slider from Rangers reliever Frank Francisco over the left-field wall to lead off the ninth inning. That was followed by a triple from an unlikely source - Lyle Overbay, who had one triple in 132 games in 2009 - and the Blue Jays were in flight.
Edwin Encarnacion then hit a sacrifice fly to score Overbay from third. Toronto added an insurance marker when 29-year-old rookie Mark McCoy drove in his first major-league run, singling to centre to score Alex Gonzalez from second.
The win went to Casey Janssen (1-0), who allowed one walk during an otherwise perfect eighth inning. Closer Jason Frasor came on in the ninth to earn his second save of the year.
"That's a big win," Wells said. "I know it's the third game of the season, but to come here and make a comeback in the deciding game, it's a confidence-builder."
ON DECK
NOTES Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill was scratched from the starting lineup for the game with right hamstring tightness. His status is listed as day-to-day. As a result rookie Michael McCoy made his Blue Jays debut at second base, batting leadoff with Jose Bautista bumped to No. 2 in the order. ... Television followers of the Blue Jays will notice a different voice in the TV booth for Saturday and Sunday's games in Baltimore against the Orioles. Because of commitments he has with TBS, Rogers Sportsnet play-by-play man Buck Martinez will not be call the games. His spot will be filled by Sam Cosentino. ... The last player to homer in four successive games to begin a major-league season was Mark McGwire in 1998.
NEXT Today, at Baltimore Orioles, 3:05 p.m. EDT.
STARTERS Toronto RHP Brandon Morrow (0-0, 0.00) against Baltimore RHP Brad Bergeson (0-0, 0.00).
TV Sportsnet.