Russell Martin hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning to help the Toronto Blue Jays overcome a poor start by 17-game victor J.A. Happ and avoid a three-game sweep by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Sunday. Kevin Jepsen (2-6, 5.59 ERA) takes the loss.
Advertisement
Still, the Red Sox get to play one more game against the A’s on Sunday and play a three-game series against the 56-79 Padres in San Diego to make up some ground before that stretch.
The Rays, at 9-7, are the only AL East team with a winning record against Toronto this season.
A sweep-averting 5-3 comeback win Sunday afternoon eased the tension after 24 innings of frustration at Tropicana Field, sending them off the Bronx for a Labour Day date with old nemesis Masahiro Tanaka in a much better frame of mind.
Although he didn’t receive a decision Archer delivered his 15th quality start on the year.
Chris Archer allowed two runs and five hits in 6⅓ innings. He departed after making 105-pitches with 62 strikes. Although, at home it’s just 3.00 (5-ER/15-IP). The Rays’ single season franchise leader for home ERA is Alex Cobb in 2014 (2.59). The Rays have taken the first two games in this weekend series and the two have hit the over in seven of their last eight meetings. No. 9 hitter Devon Travis singled home a pair of runs to tie the score at 3. It’s been a rough year for Russell Martin behind the plate.
Martin hit his 17th homer on a 3-0 pitch from Kevin Jepsen (2-6).
Martin saw to that with his ninth home run in his last 18 games to avoid a sweep at the hands of the pesky Rays.
In the sixth inning, however, it all came undone for the funky righthander. Remarkably, he was able to hold the Rays to three runs and the bullpen picked him up.
By the time the fifth inning was in the books, Snell had already passed the 90-pitch mark but had settled in for the long haul, retiring the last 10 batters he faced. It was his third appearance of the series. Cobb got Michael Saunders to ground out for the second out of the inning on a 91.3 miles per hour sinker.
It was obvious right from the start that Happ didn’t have it. Logan Forythe and Kevin Kiermaier each singled, then Forsythe scored on Evan Longoria’s double. He reached base twice on walks but couldn’t extend his run. Dalton Pompey came on to run and stole second base on the first pitch to Martin. He also is a.643 career hitter against the Rays with runners in scoring position.
Cardinals 5, Reds 2 – Randal Grichuk and Kolten Wong homered, Carlos Martinez (13-7) carried a shutout into the seventh inning, and visiting St. Louis beat Cincinnati to snap a three-game losing streak.
The third inning looked to be the one that would cause Chris Archer to unravel. The Rays struck back immediately, however.
J.A. Happ was looking to win his 18th game on the season. He was knocked out by the Rays in the bottom of the third. He bounced back nicely on August 10, throwing six shutout innings of four-hit ball in a 7-0 Jays win in Toronto. He needed a whopping 85-pitches to get the eight outs.
Advertisement
Following a scoreless inning from Scott Feldman, Joaquin Benoit struck out the side in the seventh, earning the win and recording his 1000th career save.
