Rays 6, Blue Jays 4
Ben Zobrist hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning and David Price threw eight solid innings as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the host Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 Saturday afternoon.
With Carlos Villanueva on in relief of Jays starter Brandon Morrow (0-1), Zobrist pulled a pitch over the right-field wall to turn a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 Tampa Bay lead. It was the fourth home run of the season for Zobrist, and his third in the last eight games.
That was just enough support for Price (3-2), who left after getting himself into a jam to open the ninth. Jose Bautista kickstarted the rally with a leadoff walk and scored on an Adam Lind double. Juan Rivera followed with a run-scoring single off reliever Kyle Farnsworth, but the Rays reliever shut the door by getting the next three outs for his fifth save of the season.
Price allowed four runs on eight hits, including a pair of Bautista homers, en route to his third straight win. The tall lefty walked two and struck out five while improving to 7-0 in eight lifetime starts against Toronto (9-11).
Morrow was strong in his 2011 debut, allowing three runs in 5 1/3 innings while walking two and striking out 10. He left having thrown 94 pitches.
Johnny Damon added a two-run homer and an RBI groundout for the Rays (10-11), who evened the weekend series at a win apiece.
Bautista's blasts in the first and fourth inning give him the American League lead with seven home runs. He finished 3-for-3 for the second consecutive day, raising his average to .371.