Rays outslug Jays in Cobb's return
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Alex Cobb pitched for the first time in nearly two years, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Toronto at its own game, slugging three home runs off the Blue Jays' bullpen to pull away to an 8-3 win on Friday night at Tropicana Field.
Cobb, making a promising return from Tommy John surgery, held the Blue Jays to two runs in five innings, and an inning after he left, the Rays broke open a 2-2 game. Logan Morrison hit a two-run home run in the sixth for the lead, and Luke Maile and Brad Miller added home runs in the seventh to pull away.
Toronto (76-58) came into the night with a two-game lead atop the American League East, but dropped to 6-8 against the last-place Rays (57-76) this season. Starter Marcus Stroman (9-6) gave up the lead in the sixth on Morrison's 12th home run of the season, while Danny Farquhar (1-0) picked up the win after a scoreless inning of relief.
Eddie Gamboa, a 31-year-old knuckleballer called up as rosters expanded, made his major league debut for the Rays in the eighth, getting a strikeout but walking two and giving up a run. Toronto had two runners on for Melvin Upton, but Brad Boxberger struck him out to end the inning and the rally.
Rays starter Alex Cobb, pitching in the majors for the first time in nearly two years as he returns from Tommy John surgery, ran into trouble early but got into rhythm, leaving after five innings with a 2-2 tie against a potent first-place lineup.
Toronto struck early, getting a ground-rule double from Josh Donaldson that caromed off one of the catwalks high above the field and an RBI double by Edwin Encarnacion off the wall in left field for a 1-0 lead. Russell Martin brought Encarnacion home with an RBI single past shortstop to make it 2-0.
From there, Cobb allowed only one hit in his remaining four innings, striking out seven batters and walking only one and leaving after 84 pitches.
Toronto starter Marcus Stroman gave up single runs in the second and third, with the Rays scoring on RBI groundouts in each inning.
Logan Morrison walked to open the second, got to third on Nick Franklin's double and scored on a ground ball from Corey Dickerson to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the third, the Rays got a single from Logan Forsythe, a fielding error from Devon Travis at second to allow Kevin Kiermaier to reach and an RBI groundout from Brad Miller to tie the game.
NOTES: The Rays recalled C Curt Casali and RHP Ryan Garton from Triple-A Durham, and selected the contract of RHP Eddie Gamboa from Durham. He's the second knuckleball pitcher in Rays history joining RHP Dennis Springer, who played in 1998. ... Toronto also expanded its roster, recalling 2B Devon Travis from Class A Bluefield and OF Dalton Pompey, OF Darrell Ceciliani, RHP Danny Barnes and RHP Ryan Tepera from Triple-A Buffalo. They also selected the contract of LHP Matt Dermody from Buffalo and signed C Josh Thole to a major league contract. ... The Jays continue to tinker with a six-man rotation, with starters still listed as "TBA" for the remaining two games of the series with the Rays. ... The game was played as scheduled after Hurricane Hermine dumped as much as 22 inches of rain on Pinellas County in 72 hours, causing flooding in many areas.