TORONTO -- Jared Sandberg still can't believe he's back in the majors.
Sandberg, recalled from Triple-A Durham before the game despite batting just .236 there, hit a two-run homer to lead the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 Tuesday night.
"I was kind of lucky with the numbers I had in Triple-A to get the call up," Sandberg said. "It's a good feeling, but I'm still kind of shocked."
Joe Kennedy rebounded from the worst outing of his career for the Devil Rays.
Sandberg gave Tampa Bay a 5-2 lead in the sixth with his two-run shot off former Devil Ray Tanyon Sturtze (3-4).
The nephew of former All-Star second baseman Ryne Sandberg finished 2-for-3 with a walk. He hit 18 home runs for Tampa Bay last season but didn't make the club out of spring training this year.
"It was a good debut. Let's hope he swings the bat up here and gives us some offense," Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said.
Sandberg hired a car and a driver for the three-hour trip from Rochester, N.Y., to Toronto.
"A three-hour drive to get to the big leagues is like a little stroll in the park," Piniella said.
Kennedy (3-3) improved to 6-0 in 10 career starts against Toronto. The 23-year-old left-hander, who is 12-22 against everyone else, allowed a career-worst 10 runs against Minnesota in his last start.
"I don't have some special pitch that I throw to them that I don't throw to anybody else," Kennedy said. "I've just had success against them. I have more confidence knowing that I've gotten them out before."
Kennedy gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings, striking out five and walking three.
"He's been better against us," Toronto manager Carlos Tosca said.
Rookie Lance Carter pitched the ninth for his eighth save in 11 chances, allowing a solo homer to Orlando Hudson.
Travis Lee and Rocco Baldelli also homered for the Devil Rays.
Sturtze, who went 4-18 for Tampa Bay last season, allowed five runs on nine hits in six innings. He has one win in his last six starts.
"It seems like every time I make a mistake it gets hit out of the park," said Sturtze, who is danger of losing his spot in the rotation.
Toronto's Josh Phelps homered and went 3-for-4.
Lee led off the second with a homer. One out later, Toby Hall singled and Sandberg doubled before Felix Escalona hit a two-run double.
Jayson Werth's two-run double in the fourth cut Tampa Bay's lead to 3-2.
After Hall singled in the sixth, Sandberg homered.
Tom Wilson and Phelps hit consecutive singles off Kennedy in the sixth, but Eric Hinske popped out in foul territory, Werth hit an RBI grounder and Chris Woodward struck out.
Baldelli homered off Trever Miller, giving Tampa Bay a 6-3 lead in the seventh.
Phelps homered off Travis Harper in the eighth, but Baldelli hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Notes: Kennedy has alternated wins and losses in each of his last six outings. ... Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells robbed Aubrey Huff of extra bases with a leaping catch at the wall in the third. ... Toronto's Carlos Delgado ended an 0-for-16 slump with a double in the second.
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