The last time the Blue Jays lost three games in a row was more than 50 games ago, on June 18, 19 and 21. Chasing Toronto for the division lead are Boston and Baltimore, and the Rays have seven games against the Orioles in the next two weeks, then have their final home series of the season against the Red Sox, giving them a chance to impact an AL East pennant race they aren’t otherwise a part of. It was Forsythe that broke up Estrada’s no-hitter in the ninth inning of the game past year, and it was Forsythe that broke up Estrada’s no-hitter tonight as well; however, this time, he broke the streak in the fourth.
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“Well, I’m happy”, Cobb said.
Edwin Encarnacion hit the second pitch he saw from Cobb, a 91.1 miles per hour sinker, into center for a double which scored Donaldson to put the Jays up 1-0.
At the end of the day, Roberto Osuna got his 30th save of the season but on this day, the true save might have gone to John Gibbons. Unfortunately for Liriano and the Jays, the veteran left-hander couldn’t register an out, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits, including a home run.
The Tampa Bay Rays may not have all the tools they once possessed but there is no shortage of pride. Three straight ground ball singles from Matt Duffy, Souza Jr., and Corey Dickerson pushed a run across the plate to give the Rays a 3-1 lead. Tampa Bay SS Matt Duffy has recorded 19 hits in as many games since being acquired from San Francisco and six RBIs – three coming Saturday on a bases-clearing double. 3.
“That was huge that the bullpen was able to keep us in the game”, said Happ.
Suckage Estrada (-.308), Martin gets an honourable mention for his 0-3 with 3K effort (though, he did walk in the 9th), despite not reaching the number. He also struck out nine, running his AL-best total to 211.
Facing the Toronto Blue Jays lineup is never an easy task for any Major League Baseball starter and they had Cobb working early. “We have an opportunity here this last month to see some guys play”, manager Kevin Cash said.
Despite the ability to expand rosters in September, Tampa Bay still had just three position players on the bench on Sunday: C Luke Maile, 1B Logan Morrison and utilityman Nick Franklin. You could even say he passed it with flying colors. Toronto is 9-3 against NY this season, including 4-2 at Yankee Stadium. Navarro was caught a little off the base by a deceptively sneaky Bobby Wilson, however, to end the inning.
LHP J.A. Happ lasted only 2 2/3 innings Sunday at Tampa Bay before leaving following 84 pitches.
But Troy Tulowitzki started a one-out rally in the seventh by poking a single through the open right side to knock a strong Chris Archer out of the game.
That he didn’t get outs consistently during the Blue Jays two-run first was largely a result, Cobb said, of the fact that he hadn’t been on a big-league mound in two years, not a lack of stuff.
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Edwin Encarnacion had an RBI double and Russell Martin picked up his 22nd RBI in his last 16 games on an infield single as the Blue Jays went up 2-0 in the first.
