Ryan Goins will start at third base Wednesday, while outfielder Michael Saunders will hit in Donaldson’s usual No. 2 slot in the batting order.
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Reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson sat out his third straight game for Toronto and was scheduled to get an MRI on his sore right hip.
The Rays took two of three this week from the tumbling Blue Jays, who now find themselves in third place in the East, 2.5 games behind the front-running Boston Red Sox heading into their game at home against the second-placed Baltimore Orioles. The Blue Jays begin a four-game series against the Angels on Thursday.
The Toronto Blue Jays dropped their fourth-straight series after an 8-1 loss at home to Tampa Bay. I know things are going to change. Alex Cobb (1-0), in his third start since returning from Tommy John surgery, allowed one run on just two his through 6 2/3 innings and Corey Dickerson drove in four runs for the Rays (62-83).
The Rays have won three straight and six of seven on days when they are travelling. RHP Daniel Wright (0-2, 7.50) starts for Los Angeles.
Stroman (9-8) allowed three runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks over six innings.
Late in the game, Toronto announced the hiring of former Boston general manager Ben Cherington as Vice President of Baseball Operations.
“That’s really the story of the day, that one pitch”, Martin said. Martin took a big hack and it paid off, pulling the Blue Jays within one run in the sixth inning.
Toronto, which is 3-8 in September, opened play Wednesday tied with Baltimore for the first AL wild card and two games back of Boston for the AL East division lead. His previous homer, on August 15, was a solo shot off Smyly at Tampa Bay when Ramirez was still with the Padres. You want to win the ball game, you want to work deep. The Blue Jays have averaged an AL-best 41,460 this season. Matt Dermody came on and gave up Dickerson’s homer. The Toronto right-hander struck out four in losing his third consecutive start.The Rays led 3-0 after Ramirez’s fifth-inning, three-run homer.
Alex Cobb held the suddenly AWOL offence in check over 6.1 innings and one-time ace Marco Estrada took the loss for a third straight start (and fifth in six appearances since August 9).
Unfortunately, despite Marco Estrada’s strong first three innings, one run wasn’t going to win the game and Toronto could come up with but a Dioner Navarro single in the seventh the rest of the way.
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Reimold, making his first start since September 3, added a two-run shot two batters later, clanging a 3-2 Pomeranz pitch off the light tower on the Monster. Edwin Encarnacion had a sac fly for the Blue Jays (79-66), while Devon Travis extended his hit streak to 11 games, matching a career high. Rays 2B Logan Forsythe was used as DH Wednesday with INF/OF Nick Franklin started at second base.
