Brian Tallet does it again

How about that Brian Tallet?

In his last start, Tallet pitched six shutout innings against his former team, the Cleveland Indians, before the Blue Jays blew the lead in the ninth inning and lost in extras.

The Jays followed with two straight wins, before dropping the last two, 6-1 in Anaheim and 5-3 in Oakland.

Saturday afternoon in Oakland, Tallet's turn came up again in the rotation. Could he deliver the way he did against the Indians, or was he going to have an off-game like two starts earlier (when he gave up ten runs in Kansas City)?

Were the Blue Jays going to lose their third straight?

After all, Boston has been winning a lot, with Jason Bay carrying the BoSox offensively. Alex Rodriguez just came off the disabled list on Friday and homered on his first pitch of 2009, helping the New York Yankees to a 4-0 win in Baltimore.

Thus, it was essential for Toronto to keep winning, if the Jays wanted to remain in first place in the East (they were tied with Boston going into Saturday's action) and maintain their 3 1/2-game lead in the wild card race.

But it was up to Tallet.

And boy, did he ever do the job against the Athletics.

This time, Tallet allowed only one hit in the first six innings, and by then, the Jays already had a 4-0 lead, having scored single runs in the first three innings and in the fifth.

Jason Giambi homered off Tallet leading off the seventh, but the lefty bounced back and retired Matt Holliday, Jack Cust, and Ryan Sweeney to finish off the inning.

Tallet allowed just two hits in his seven innings of work, retiring 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. He walked two and fanned a career-high seven.

The Jays took a 6-1 lead into the ninth, but Scott Downs struggled in the final inning, allowing the A's to score three runs on five hits to make it a nailbiter.

Downs, however, got rookie catcher Landon Powell to foul out with the bases loaded to end the contest, and the Jays won, 6-4.

Lyle Overbay hit a home run and had three RBIs for Toronto. His solo blast in the second inning gave the Jays a 2-0 lead, and he added a sac fly in the fifth and key insurance RBI double in the eighth.

Powell, who went 0-for-4, was playing in just his eighth game in the majors. His throwing error in the fifth inning on a steal attempt was huge, as it led to the Jays' fourth run.

With one out in the fifth, Jose Bautista singled and stole second. Powell's error allowed Bautista to reach third, and Overbay's fly to deep left centre cashed in Bautista.

Giambi homered off Downs in the ninth inning for his second of the game, and 399th of his career.

Holliday's fourth-inning single was the only other hit Tallet allowed.

According to manager Cito Gaston, Tallet will remain in the starting rotation as long as he continues pitching well.

Toronto has yet to lose three straight this season, and can win yet another series when the Jays and A's hook up for the finale on Sunday afternoon.

Brett Cecil (0-0, 1.50), who will make his second career appearance in the majors, will start on Sunday for Toronto. Dallas Braden (3-3, 2.50) goes for the A's.