In groove, Bautista sticking with high-cuffed pants

TORONTO -- Certainly, it can't be that simple.

Jose Bautista struggled to the tune of a .182 average and seven extra-base hits in June before Saturday's contest against the Red Sox. After spending much of the month mired in a slump, Bautista decided to mix up his outfit in hopes of turning around his luck.

The problem was that none of his pants fit the newly adopted high-cuff style, so he borrowed a pair from starter R.A. Dickey in Boston on Saturday.

The move immediately paid dividends. Since then, Bautista has gone 6-for-11 with three home runs, four RBIs, five runs scored, three walks, and a stolen base for good measure entering play Tuesday.

"Dickey's pants until further notice," Bautista declared to the Toronto Star after Monday's 8-3 victory over the Tigers.

It all started with that Saturday performance that saw the Blue Jays right fielder hit two moon shots over the Green Monster at Fenway Park, both of them critical to Toronto's victory.

"I had a good day in the cage and good BP, so I felt like I had more rhythm than days past," Bautista said afterward. "I was able to lay off some tough pitches and get the ones over the plate. And when I swung, I didn't miss them, so it was a good day."