Blue Jays 5, Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman pitched into the ninth inning on Opening Day, outdueling the Rays' Chris Archer, and Toronto pulled out a 5-3 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field.
Stroman, at 5-foot-8 baseball's shortest Opening Day starting pitcher in 45 years, picked up where he left off at the end of last season, holding the Rays to one run on four hits before giving up two hits to open the ninth. He wound up charged with three runs in eight-plus innings.
Stroman (1-0) struck out five and walked one.
Archer (0-1) fanned 12 -- the most by any Opening Day pitcher since 2007 -- but needed 30 pitches to get his first two outs in the first, giving up a two-run single to Edwin Encarnacion.
In five innings, Archer gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits, three walks and a wild pitch.
Tampa Bay stayed close with the defending American League East champions until the eighth, when Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run home run to left off reliever Ryan Webb for a 5-1 lead.
Evan Longoria had two hits for the Rays, who played to a sellout crowd of 31,042 that included commissioner Rob Manfred, but the rest of the lineup was slowed until the ninth, when designated hitter Corey Dickerson hit a solo home run to right field in his Rays debut.
Desmond Jennings followed with a single, and Toronto turned to closer Roberto Osuna, who struck out the first two batters he faced.
Kevin Kiermaier followed with a two-out, two-strike single to score Jennings, putting the tying run at the plate. Osuna got Hank Conger to ground back to the mound for the final out to end the Rays' rally, earning the save.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 16 combined strikeouts by Rays pitchers match the most by any team on Opening Day since 1900. The New York Mets had 16 against the Cincinnati Reds in 2005.
Toronto's potent lineup got to Archer in the first. Josh Donaldson singled to right field, Jose Bautista walked, and both advanced on a wild pitch before scoring on a two-run single by Encarnacion for a 2-0 lead.
Archer recorded his last nine outs by strikeouts, shattering the Rays' Opening Day record of seven, set by David Price in 2011 and Steve Trachsel in 2000. Archer's 12 strikeouts were the most by any major league pitcher on Opening Day since Felix Hernandez struck out 12 in 2007.
The Rays got back within a run in the third inning as Evan Longoria delivered his second hit of the day -- a single to bring in Logan Forsythe, who had reached on a fielder's choice.
The Rays had two on and two out for Jennings, but he grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
Toronto padded its lead with an unearned run in the fourth, as Michael Saunders hit a high line drive that went off the glove of new Rays first baseman Logan Morrison for an error. Saunders advanced on a single by Ryan Goins and scored on an RBI single by Kevin Pillar for a 3-1 lead.
NOTES: Unable to work out a trade, the Rays released veteran 1B James Loney as their final move to set a 25-man roster, meaning the Rays will pay him $8 million not to play this season. ... The Rays' Opening Day lineup had four newcomers in 1B Logan Morrison, DH Corey Dickerson, SS Brad Miller and C Hank Conger, emblematic of what the team hopes is an upgraded offensive group for 2016. ... The Blue Jays are defending a division title for the first time in 22 years, since winning the AL East and a World Series in 1993. ... Toronto RHP Marcus Stroman is at 5-foot-8 the shortest Opening Day starting pitcher baseball has seen since 1971, when Tom Phoebus started for the Padres at 5-8. ... The Rays sold out their home opener for the 11th year in a row, with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred among those in attendance. He is the first MLB commissioner to attend a Rays home opener.