Rays take season series from Jays
TORONTO -- Alexei Ramirez hit a three-run homer, Steven Souza Jr. hit a solo shot, Drew Smyly won his fifth consecutive decision, and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 Tuesday night.
The victory gave the Rays (61-83) the season series over the Blue Jays (79-65) at 10-8 with the rubber match in the current three-game series to be played Wednesday afternoon.
Russell Martin hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, who entered the game second in the American League East, two games behind the Boston Red Sox.
Smyly (7-11) allowed two runs on five hits and one walk in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out four.
Marcus Stroman (9-8) allowed four hits, four walks and three runs in six innings. The Toronto right-hander struck out four in losing his third consecutive start.
The Rays led 3-0 after Ramirez's fifth-inning, three-run homer. Martin's 18th homer of the season with two outs in the sixth trimmed the lead to 3-2, also scoring Jose Bautista, who had walked.
Ryan Garton replaced Smyly after Martin's homer.
Souza hit his 17th homer of the season with one out in the seventh against Joe Biagini, and the Rays led 4-2.
Left-hander Dana Eveland, recalled Monday from the minors, replaced Garton in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff single by Kevin Pillar, and he struck out Ezequiel Carrera.
Danny Farquhar replaced Eveland to face pinch hitter Dioner Navarro, who flied out to left. Devon Travis kept the inning alive with a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Bautista walked to load the bases before Edwin Encarnacion struck out to end the threat.
Rays reliever Kevin Jepsen pitched around a single in the eighth.
The Rays scored twice in the ninth.
Corey Dickerson opened the ninth with an infield single against Matt Dermody. Scott Feldman entered the game and walked Souza. Ramirez sacrificed the runners to second and third. Bobby Wilson walked to load the bases.
Logan Forsythe forced Wilson at second on a slow grounder to shortstop as a run scored.
Aaron Loup replaced Feldman and threw a run-scoring wild pitch on his first offering, then hit Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch to load the bases again.
Erasmo Ramirez pitched a perfect ninth for the Rays.
The Rays had a promising start to the third when Souza walked and took second on a single by Ramirez.
Stroman retired Bobby Wilson on a called third strike and Logan Forsythe bounced to shortstop to start the inning-ending double play.
Kevin Kiermaier led off the fourth with a walk, the third of the game allowed by Stroman.
Evan Longoria followed with a line out to right fielder Carrera, who threw to first to double up Kiermaier.
Ramirez put the Rays up 3-0 with his sixth homer of the season with one out in the fifth. It followed a double by Dickerson and a walk to Souza.
NOTES: Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson missed his second consecutive game Tuesday after he apparently jammed his right hip on a slide Sunday. INF Darwin Barney played in his place. ... With Tampa Bay LHP Drew Smyly starting Tuesday, it marked the 380th consecutive game in which the Rays' starter was under the age of 30, the longest current streak in the majors. The last Rays starter over the age of 30 was LHP Erik Bedard, 35, on July 3, 2014. ... Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi picked up his major-league-leading 15th no-decision in his start Monday, a club record. RHP Nathan Karns had 14 no-decisions in 2015. ... Rays RHP Alex Cobb (0-0, 4.09 ERA) will face Blue Jays RHP Marco Estrada (8-8, 3.68 ERA) in the series finale Wednesday afternoon.