Jays frustrate, dominate Franklin in SkyDome

TORONTO – Frank Catalanotto knows the Toronto Blue Jays have a reputation for stealing signs, but he said Seattle’s Ryan Franklin was just frustrated.

Catalanotto and Shea Hillenbrand homered to highlight a five-run fifth inning, and the Blue Jays beat the Mariners 9-4 on Wednesday night.

The benches almost cleared in the fourth after Franklin jawed with Orlando Hudson, whom the pitcher thought was stealing signs from second base. After Franklin and catcher Miguel Olivo chatted on the mound, Franklin walked toward Hudson, prompting players on both benches to get to the first step of their dugouts.

“For some reason, teams probably tell other teams the Blue Jays are stealing signs,” said Catalanotto, who denied they steal them. “He was rattled on the mound, thinking about the signs.”

The Boston Red Sox accused the Blue Jays of stealing signs from second base earlier his month.

Hudson left the clubhouse even though the media was waiting for him. The Mariners didn’t want to talk about it either.

“Ryan and Miguel thought they were relaying pitches or location from second base,” Seattle manager Mike Hargrove said.

Asked about it further, Hargrove said: “I’m not going down that road.”

Franklin (5-11) allowed 12 hits and a career-high eight earned runs in 51/3 innings.

“I’m not going to say anything about it. It’s just something I’m not going to talk about,” Franklin said.

Franklin didn’t think he pitched badly.

“I made three mistakes,” he said, in reference to the two homers and a two-run double by Vernon Wells.

Rookie Aaron Hill also homered for Toronto, who has won just three of nine since ace Roy Halladay broke a bone in his lower left leg.

Gustavo Chacin (9-5) won his third straight start, allowing one run and six hits in six innings. The 25-year-old left-hander retired his first 11 batters. He struck out one and walked one.

Richie Sexson and Scott Spiezio hit consecutive homers for the Mariners in the eighth.

Wells hit a two-run double in the third before Hill hit his two-run shot to give Toronto a 4-0 lead.

Raul Ibanez homered off Chacin in the sixth, but Toronto scored five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Catalanotto hit a two-run homer before Wells chased Franklin with a double. Hillenbrand followed with a two-run homer off J.J. Putz, making it 9-1.

After Sexson hit a two-run homer off reliever Chad Gaudin, Spiezio, a pinch hitter, followed with his first homer. Spiezio is 2 for 22 this season.