Matt Duffy’s three-run double highlighted a five-run sixth and the last-place Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays for the second straight game, 7-5 on Saturday night.
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Kevin Jepsen came on in the eighth inning and walked the first batter he faced – former Rays Dioner Navarro – then allowed a home run to Russell Martin that gave the Jays a 5-3 lead. In 2.2-innings he allowed three earned runs on six hits while striking out two and walking two. They have dropped the first two games of their weekend series at Tropicana Field and are now tied for the division lead with the heavy hitting Boston Red Sox.
The Rays added two more runs in the seventh on a Kevin Kiermaier two-run home run that bounced off the foul pole in right.
Toronto (77-59) got only 2 2/3 innings from starter J.A. Happ but got 6 1/3 innings of scoreless, two-hit relief from four relievers, holding onto a share of first place in the American League East. Robert Osuna pitched a flawless ninth for his 30th save.
“The performance was outstanding”, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
There was a video tribute on the scoreboard for Toronto Of Melvin Upton Jr., who played at Tropicana Field for the first time since his final game with Tampa Bay on October 3, 2012.
Blue Jays: 2B Devon Travis, optioned to Bluefield on Thursday to make room for the signing of C Josh Thole, was recalled from the Appalachian League club.
I wouldn’t expect Dermody, or Barnes for that matter, to “set the baseball world on fire”, but I think both players can contribute quality innings for the Blue Jays in low-leverage situations.
After allowing an earned run in the first inning, his first frame ERA is 7.13 (23-ER/29-IP).
Edwin Encarnacion drove in Toronto’s first run with a single for his 108th RBI. “It started off a little bit shaky, but I feel like that play [in the 1st] that Logan Forsythe made with the shift over to the right a little bit, made a throw across his body and got (Troy Tulowitzki) by a decent amount really settled me down”.
“You know what?” said Travis.
Matt Duffy then lined a ball off the LF wall, mere feet from being a grand slam, scoring three more and effectively ending Estrada’s night and ruining the three paragraphs I had written about the Estrada Whisperer’s triumphant return. “We’ve always had trouble with them”. He started a throwing program three weeks ago.
Rays: RHP Chase Whitley (Tommy John surgery) will likely make his final minor league start Sunday for Double-A Montgomery.
Martin was referring to his batterymate, J.A. Happ, who had his second-worst outing of the year Sunday, lasting only 2.2 innings and needing 85 pitches to get eight outs.
DODGERS 7, PADRES 4: Jose De Leon struck out nine while winning his major league debut, and pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal drove in three runs as Los Angeles rallied to win at home and increase its NL West lead to three games over the Giants. David Wells won 20 in 2000.
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Rays starter Chris Archer has fared well against the Jays in his career, with a 6-4 record and 3.25 ERA in 18 starts, including a 1-1 record and 3.18 ERA this season.
