Blue Jays take 3-game series vs. Rangers

Matt Stairs doubled three times and drove in two runs, Dustin McGowan won his third straight decision and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 Sunday, completing a three-game sweep.

Toronto won its eighth consecutive home game and swept a three-game series from the Rangers for the first time since August 3-5, 2000.

Texas lost its fourth straight, and has lost seven of nine following a season-high four-game winning streak.

The 39-year-old Stairs went 3-for-3, scored once and recorded his second stolen base of the season.

McGowan (8-5) allowed one run and eight hits over eight-plus innings, walking one and striking out six. Jeremy Accardo closed it out for his 20th save in 24 chances.

Brandon McCarthy (5-8) allowed two runs and six hits over six innings to lose for the first time in three starts. He walked two and struck out four.

Frank Catalanotto led off the game with a home run, his first leadoff homer of the season and Texas' third.

One out later, Michael Young and Sammy Sosa hit back-to-back singles, but McGowan struck out Nelson Cruz and Brad Wilkerson to escape the jam.

Toronto tied it in the bottom of the first when Frank Thomas' two-out RBI single scored Stairs, who had walked.

The Blue Jays got leadoff doubles from Gregg Zaun in the second and Stairs in the third, but couldn't advance the runner either time.

Toronto broke the deadlock in the fifth when Ray Olmedo doubled, went to third on Reed Johnson's sacrifice and scored when Stairs doubled up the alley in left-center.

Texas loaded the bases with two out in the seventh, but McGowan got Ian Kinsler to ground into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

Toronto added two more in the seventh off reliever Frank Francisco. Johnson walked and scored on Stairs' third double before Vernon Wells tripled home the fourth run.

Notes:@ The Blue Jays have outscored opponents by a 54-15 margin over their eight-game home winning streak. Toronto's last home defeat was a 4-2 loss to Seattle on July 20. ... Toronto and Texas split the 10-game season series, ending the Rangers' five-year winning streak in head-to-head matchups. ... Several members of the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team, including David Beckham, will attend Monday afternoon's game between the Blue Jays and the New York Yankees. The Galaxy's Canadian-born coach, Frank Yallop, is scheduled to throw out the first pitch.