Major League Baseball

Blue Jays 13, Astros 6

Published Apr. 3, 2010 11:37 p.m. ET

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Brandon Morrow pitched five solid innings in his return to the mound after being sidelined with a balky shoulder, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Houston Astros 13-6 on Saturday.

Morrow allowed one run and five hits in his first spring appearance since March 14. He missed his start on March 19 after experiencing right shoulder soreness while warming up, and threw in a simulated game on Monday.

Morrow, expected to be Toronto's fourth starter, went 2-4 with six saves in 26 appearances for Seattle last year.

``Got my work in and I think it worked out the way we planned it,'' said Morrow, who threw 86 pitches. ``I felt good, the arm felt great.''

The 25-year-old Morrow, who struck out six and walked three, is set to make his first start of the season Friday at Baltimore. He didn't allow a run against the Astros until Hunter Pence's two-out RBI single in the fifth made it 11-1.

``Right now I feel great stuff-wise,'' he said. ``That actually might have been a little bit of a problem the first couple of innings trying to hold myself back a little bit. I felt better mechanically as I went through the game. A lot of positives.''

Houston starter Bud Norris allowed seven hits and seven runs in 2 1-3 innings. Norris, fourth in the rotation, went 6-3 in 10 starts as a rookie last season.

``It was a little rough today, but that's going to happen,'' said Norris, who threw 56 pitches. ``The last spring training start you really just want to go out there and get your pitch count up.''

The performance came after he allowed just two runs and struck out a spring-high seven in five innings in his previous outing. He missed one start this spring because of the stomach flu, but says he's ready for the season.

``I feel fine,'' he said. ``Obviously the stomach flu kind of threw me, backtracked me a little bit, but my body feels good.''

The Blue Jays announced before the game that outfielder Adam Lind had agreed to an $18 million, four-year contract that includes three additional club option years. The 26-year-old Lind hit .305 last year with 35 home runs and 114 RBIs.

``It will mean a lot for my parents, for my future kids, just so they can do what they want and they can go to the schools that they want and they can breathe for the rest of their lives,'' said Lind, who went 1 for 4 and scored a run against Houston.

Toronto led 11-0 after four innings. Aaron Hill hit a solo drive in the first for his sixth spring homer, Jose Bautista had a three-run double in the second and Edwin Encarnacion connected for a three-run shot in the fourth.

Chris Johnson hit a three-run homer for Houston in the ninth.

NOTES: Houston purchased the contract of OF Cory Sullivan and reassigned OF Jason Bourgeois to Triple-A Round Rock after the game. ... Astros LHP Wandy Rodriguez and his wife Luz welcomed their second daughter, Amanda, on Thursday. She'll join a family that includes 6-year-old sister Wadelis. Rodriguez is set to start Houston's second game on Tuesday.

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