Blue Jays go deep 4 times in Windy City

CHICAGO -- The Toronto Blue Jays got the ball up in the air and then they got out of town with a good feeling in the last game before the All-Star break.

The Blue Jays, who'd lost eight of their previous 12, hit four homers Sunday to end the Chicago White Sox's five-game winning streak with an 11-9 victory.

Colby Rasmus and Edwin Encarnacion had two-run homers in the first and Kelly Johnson and Jeff Mathis also connected on a windy day at U.S. Cellular Field when Chicago pitching yielded nine walks

"We had a very good offensive day. High number of walks," manager John Farrell said as his team headed for four days off with a 43-43 record.

"First inning we put together, both Colby, who continues to swing the bat well, Eddie with another big home run for us. We needed every run we could put on the board the way this turned out."

The White Sox got a three-run homer from Alex Rios and kept pecking away, but couldn't overcome the four-run first-inning deficit and go the All-Star break with a 47-38 record and a three-game lead in the AL Central.

Chicago manager Robin Ventura was ejected in the top of the ninth after charging to the plate to heatedly argue a ball and strike call with home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn.

"Yeah he had to let him know. Had to let him know," Rios said of Ventura's ejection. Ventura had argued in the sixth when Jose Bautista hit a ball past third that was touched by a fan for a ground rule double. Umpires ruled that a running Rasmus, who'd been on first, was allowed to score on the play.

Ventura was not available to comment after the game because he had to catch a flight for the break -- something that was announced before the game.

Jason Frasor (1-1), the third of five Blue Jays' relievers, was credited with the win and Casey Janssen pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for his 12th save in 13 chances. He gave up two ninth-inning singles before striking out Alejandro De Aza to end it.

"I was just telling the trainers, five outs seems like forever. I got used to getting three. It was all right," Janssen said.

"I've obviously done it before in my career, it was just a little different than the last month or so."

Rasmus and Encarnacion had two-run homers following walks in the first off Dylan Axelrod.

"It's nice when we can swing and outslug the opponents, but it's tough to do that every day," said Toronto's Rajai Davis, who had three stolen bases. "We're looking forward to getting it done on defence and having a better second half."

Axelrod (0-2) was working on just three days rest. It would have been Chris Sale's turn in the rotation, but the White Sox decided to skip their ace lefty's last start before the break and he is expected to throw an inning in Tuesday night's All-Star game

Axelrod gave up six hits, including three homers, and seven runs in his three innings before Mathis greeted reliever Brian Omogrosso with a solo homer in the fourth, making it 8-3.

Notes: White Sox RHP Jake Peavy was named as a late injury replacement to the All-Star team for the Angels' C.J. Wilson.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 9, 2012 C3