THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — A.J. Burnett and pitching coach Brad Arnsberg were scanning some video from last season recently when they noticed that the enigmatic right-hander had slightly altered his delivery.
A reason for his erratic pitching so far? Perhaps.
Either way, the adjustment to his pitching motion seems to be working wonders, as Burnett book-ended a solid Toronto Blue Jays homestand with a pair of gems, including seven dominating innings in Sunday’s 1-0 interleague win over the Atlanta Braves.
The centre of controversy a few weeks ago when he said he’d wouldn’t mind pitching for the Cubs, Burnett helped steady the Blue Jays (40-43) with eight strong in a 14-1 win over Cincinnati on Tuesday before cementing their gains as they prepared to embark on a six-game road trip.
"I want to keep my focus where it’s at," said Burnett. "With all the crap going on, this and that, my focus is here, man.
"We’ve got a great team and we can go on a run here if we keep playing ball like we’re playing. We’ve got the pitching, and definitely the defence and hitting to do that."
Alex Rios provided just enough offence with an RBI double to get the job done in this one, as the Blue Jays finished a 4-2 homestand with consecutive home series wins for the first time this season.
They took two of three each from Cincinnati and Atlanta to wrap up interleague play 8-10 and now head to Seattle and Anaheim looking to build on their modest progress.
"It’s nice to start playing the way we should be playing," said catcher Rod Barajas. "We should be winning series at home and we need to have confidence and that feeling that when a team comes into our house, they’re going to be lucky to take one."
Burnett (8-7) certainly helped the cause by dominating the Braves (40-43) before a crowd of 30,514. He struck out a season-high 11 batters, giving up just four hits and four walks, one intentional, while allowing only three runners past first base.
His last two outings are probably his best back-to-back starts this season.
"My windup has been a little different earlier this season opposed to last year and I just tried to get back to what that was and everything is starting to click," said Burnett. "We’re working on things in the bullpen and getting it done."
Burnett needed to be good as Atlanta starter Jo-Jo Reyes (3-6) matched him zero for zero until the sixth, when Marco Scutaro singled with one out and scored on Rios’s double down the third-base line, sliding in just under the relay from shortstop Brent Lillibridge.
Rios went to third on the throw but was stranded there, one of several wasted chances the Blue Jays had to make the win much more comfortable than it was. They were 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position overall.
"We’re going to have times like that, I know they’ve stood out around here more than most years but it’s going to happen to us again," said manager Cito Gaston. "I know it’s easy to start thinking here we go again but I don’t see it that way. I think these guys are off and rolling right now and hopefully we can keep it going in the same direction."
Scott Downs allowed two batters to reach in a scoreless eighth, extending his streak of innings without an earned run to a career-high 26, while B.J. Ryan closed things out in the ninth for his 16th save.
"They’ve got golden-plated pitchers over there," said Braves manager Bobby Cox. "Their bullpen is outstanding and they got all good starters."
The Blue Jays had some early chances to eke out a run but Reyes turned them away each time. Vernon Wells was stranded after a leadoff double in the second, Brad Wilkerson and John McDonald reaching to open the third quickly went to waste, and they did nothing with Scott Rolen’s double leading off the fifth.
Burnett also clutched up when he needed to.
In the seventh, with a 1-0 lead still fresh, Greg Norton opened the inning with a double before Burnett got Jeff Francoeur on a groundout before strikeouts of Brandon Jones and Lillibridge to end the inning.
Burnett also worked out of a self-created jam in the fourth, when he walked Kelly Johnson and Mark Teixeira. He then got Brian McCann on a fly ball to left before a great play by McDonald led to a 1-6-3 double-play that ended the threat.
On the play, Burnett fielded Norton’s comebacker and threw to second. McDonald managed to stay on the bag as Burnett’s throw tailed toward the outfield and then relayed to first to get Norton.
"The throw didn’t take me that far off the bag," said McDonald. "I think I was on top of the bag when I caught it. Obviously a big double-play."
McDonald, who has seen little action of late, made another spectacular play in the third when he fielded Lillibridge’s grounder after it had changed direction off Rolen’s glove at third and threw to first for the out.
Notes: With Marco Scutaro receiving the bulk of playing time at shortstop since Cito Gaston’s arrival, David Eckstein has been taking some grounders at second base recently. The intent is to give him some playing time there eventually. "Once in a while, maybe I’ll have Scoot at short and him at second base and vice-versa," said Gaston. "(Eckstein) is willing to go anywhere for you. He’s a great guy." … Getting Eckstein comfortable at second would also give the Jays another option if 2B Aaron Hill’s concussion issues keep him for an extended period. "We’ve got our fingers crossed that’s not the case," said Gaston. "But just in case prepare yourself in case it turns out to be that way." … John Parrish’s win Saturday was the first by a Blue Jays left-handed starter since Gustavo Chacin beat Boston on April 17, 2007. … The Blue Jays are the only AL East team to finish with a losing record in interleague play.
