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TORONTO — Back-to-back RBI singles from Justin Turner and Daulton Varsho with two outs were enough to spark the Toronto Blue Jays to score four runs in the eighth inning and beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Wednesday.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored the first two runs for Toronto with a single and a home run, and the win gave Toronto one win each in its three-game series with Tampa Bay (51-51).
The Blue Jays (46-55) won their second game in five games since the MLB All-Star break before a crowd of 32,276 at Rogers Centre.
After Turner struck out George Springer and Valshaw sent Guerrero home to break a 2-2 tie, a wild pitch from relief pitcher Jason Adams (4-2) extended the Blue Jays lead to three.
Tampa shortstop Tyler Walls then allowed Alejandro Kirk’s pop-up ball in shallow left field to bounce off his glove for the fourth run.
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Ben Rortvedt’s double scored the final run for the Rays in the ninth inning.
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Toronto starting pitcher Yariel Rodriguez got the Rays’ first 12 outs in order. Randy Arozarena broke the no-hitter with a double to the top of right field in the fifth inning.
He scored on Josh Lowe’s single that slipped under the glove of a diving Guerrero.
Rodriguez, a 27-year-old rookie, pitched 5 2/3 innings, struck out six, allowed two hits and walked one, giving up one run. He tied the game in the sixth inning on a walk to Rich Palacios.
Left-hander Brendon Little also walked Brandon Lowe with two outs. Arozarena hit a hard-hitting single to left field that sent Palacios home.
The Blue Jays took the lead in the first inning when Spencer Horwitz hit a one-out double to left center field and Guerrero hit a single to tie the game at 5-0.
In the third inning, with two outs, Guerrero hit a ball into the left field seats to make the score 2-0.
The solo hit was his 18th solo hit for the team and fifth in his last six appearances.
Blue Jays pitcher Genesis Cabrera (3-2) struck out two in the eighth inning to get the win.
Rays starter Zach Eflin also pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out four.
Kilmair’s Confession
Kevin Kiermaier told the Tampa Bay Times before the game that he would retire after this season. Toronto placed the 34-year-old four-time Gold Glove winner on waivers earlier this month.
“That’s it, 2024 is it for me,” the former Rays outfielder said. “It’s going to be very interesting next week (about a potential trade). But this will be my last year playing.
“I’m going to give it my all for the rest of the year, no matter what situation I’m in. But right now my body needs me more than ever.”
On Deck
Chris Bassitt (8-8) will start for the Blue Jays in the final of a three-game series against Tampa on Thursday afternoon. The Rays will send right-hander Taj Bradley (5-4) to face off.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 24, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
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