San Jose 1 - 3 Toronto FC

Barrett leads Toronto FC to 3-1 win over San Jose

Updated: October 13, 2009, 4:31 PM UK

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (STATS) ? After watching forward Chad Barrett endure an eight-match scoreless drought, Toronto FC veteran Dwayne De Rosario made a point of checking in with his younger teammate prior to kickoff against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.

"He's been getting a little down on himself," De Rosario said, "And I'm like, 'Kick that to the curb, because the main thing is you're creating chances. The hard part's finishing.' Today, thankfully, he did it."

Barrett had two goals and assisted on the go-ahead score as Toronto rolled to an easy 3-1 victory over the Earthquakes.

Barrett, who had two goals and two assists in Toronto's first 16 matches, scored in the fifth and 69th minutes. Pablo Vitti also tallied a second-half goal to help Toronto (7-6-4) jump from fourth place to a tie for first in the tightly packed Eastern Conference.

It was Toronto's first road victory since a season-opening win at Kansas City on March 21, and matched the team's season high for goals.

"To come away from home, score three goals and dominate the game . . . we're building something here," Toronto coach Chris Cummins said. "What we won't do is go out there now and think we've cracked it and we're top of the league."

Darren Huckerby returned from a one-game absence due to injury to score the lone goal for San Jose (3-9-4), but the Earthquakes were punchless after the half, placing just one shot on net.

"What we've got to do is make sure that no matter what happens in a game, we don't crumble, and I think that we crumbled," said Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop, who called it his team's worst performance of the season.

Cummins used his team's two-week break to institute some changes to his attack, including moving Barrett, who had nine goals in 2008 as a member of the Chicago Fire and Toronto, from the left wing to a more central location.

The adjustments paid off almost immediately as Barrett slipped free on the right side and threaded a shot to the far post off a pass from De Rosario for his first goal since May 2. Barrett almost tallied again in the sixth minute when he got a free look at the far post, but his header off Jim Brennan's cross sailed wide.

Earthquakes captain Jason Hernandez did well to prevent a Barrett breakaway in the 11th minute with a slide tackle, but nothing could stop Barrett after De Rosario fired a long clearance out of his own penalty box in the 69th minute.

Earthquakes defender Aaron Pitchkolan looked as though he would easily beat Barrett to the ball, but he was felled suddenly by a strained left groin. Barrett took control, outmaneuvered goalkeeper Joe Cannon and all but dribbled the ball into the net.

"It seems like I've been scoring kind of spontaneously," Barrett said. "Of course I want to put together a run. The good thing is that even though I haven't been scoring, the team's still been doing well."

San Jose, playing without injured starters Ramiro Corrales and Bobby Convey, tied the match in the 32nd minute. A lead pass by Arturo Alvarez was successfully chased down by Ryan Johnson, who held off three defenders before laying the ball off to an onrushing Huckerby. He one-timed a left-footed shot that scooted past Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

Toronto, though, regained the lead in the 54th minute. Following a free kick deep on the left wing, a soft chip by Barrett was headed by Nana Attakora for Vitti, who scored on a back-header.