Thomas hits 2 homers in Blue Jays' win 2 hours, 7 minutes ago

Thomas hits 2 homers in Blue Jays' win 2 hours, 7 minutes ago



TORONTO - Frank Thomas hit two home runs to pass Eddie Murray for 20th place on the all-time home run list, Shaun Marcum won his third straight start and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 9-5 on Saturday.

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Thomas hit a three-run homer in the first and added a solo homer in the third, giving him 505 in his career. It was his second multihomer game of the season and the 31st of his career.

Right on Thomas' heels is Alex Rodriguez, who hit his 500th home run Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.

The Blue Jays extended their home winning streak to seven games, and have outscored opponents 50-14 over that span.

Texas has lost six of eight following a season-high four-game winning streak.

Thomas homered for the first time in eight games and ended Toronto's 66-inning homerless streak. The Blue Jays had not homered since Gregg Zaun's three-run shot in the sixth inning of a July 25 victory over Minnesota, their longest drought since a 69-inning streak in 2005.

Thomas finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, while John McDonald went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Marcum (8-4) allowed three runs — two earned — on eight hits over six innings. He walked none and struck out five.

Brian Wolfe pitched a perfect seventh and Brian Tallet worked the eighth. Brandon League allowed an RBI single to Adam Melhuse in the ninth before Scott Downs got the final two outs.

Texas took a 1-0 lead in the first when, with the bases loaded, Zaun was called for catcher's interference on Nelson Cruz, who struck Zaun's glove with his bat while swinging.

Toronto took control with a six-run first as the first six batters reached safely against emergency starter Willie Eyre, pitching in place of right-hander Kameron Loe (stiff back).

Reed Johnson singled and Lyle Overbay walked before Alex Rios and Vernon Wells hit back-to-back RBI doubles.

That brought up Thomas, who homered on the first pitch he saw from Eyre (3-4). Troy Glaus walked and Aaron Hill flied out before Zaun singled and McDonald drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt. Johnson ended the 10-batter frame by striking out.

Eyre gave up six runs and seven hits over 2 1-3 innings, walking two and striking out two.

Jason Botts tripled and scored on Cruz's single in the third, and Ian Kinsler doubled and scored on Michael Young's two-out single in the fourth.

McDonald capped the scoring with a two-out, two-run double in the fifth off reliever Wes Littleton.

Brad Wilkerson led off the ninth inning with a pinch-hit home run, his 16th of the season.

Notes:@ Thomas, who became the 21st player in baseball history to hit 500 home runs on June 28 at Minnesota, is six homers from tying Mel Ott (511) for 19th place. ... Glaus and Thomas are tied for first among active players with 35 career home runs against Texas.